A climatology of solar erythema dose

Abstract —Semi-empirical formulas for the ultraviolet erythema dose derived in an earlier paper are used to deduce an ultraviolet photoclimatology. We calculate the climatology of daily erythema radiation doses for the northern hemisphere at 5d? latitude intervals. Similar dose calculations are also performed specifically for ten metropolitan areas. Effects of seasonal and geographic variations of ozone, turbidity, and cloudiness on the local erythema doses are also investigated. We present a simple approximate analytic formula for the annual erythema dose as a function of latitude, cloud cover, and ground albedo for use in connection with studies of the epidemiology of skin cancer. The implications of possible ozone depletion due to a future fleet of supersonic aircraft in the stratosphere are discussed. These calculations are made for a normal ozone thickness of 0.32 cm and for a 5, 10, 20, and 50 per cent ozone reduction.     

Comparative study of erythema response to UVA radiation in guinea pigs and humans

Abstract— Cutaneous erythema resulting from UVB radiation has been extensively studied in both humans and experimental animals; however, although there have been several investigations defining UVA erythema in humans, there have been no comprehensive reports using an animal model. Accordingly, studies were designed to assess UVA erythema in terms of time of onset; time of maximum reaction; and fluence-response relationships in albino guinea pigs and to compare these with similar studies in humans. Two high intensity Hg vapor lamps containing iron and gallium halides were used as UVA light sources. Both have sufficient fiuence rates (190 to 260 W m^?2) so as to allow convenient exposure times for delivery of UVA erythemogenic fluences. UVA fluences of 20 times 10⁴, 40 times 10⁴ and 60 times 10⁴ J m^?2 were administered to 58 humans and 51 Hartley-strain albino guinea pigs. Data obtained in humans indicate that UVA erythema develops immediately after irradiance with a maximum erythema peak occurring in 6 to 12 h and markedly diminishing by 24 h. The minimal fiuence required to elicit erythema responses in Type I and Type II individuals was found to be approximately 40 times 10⁴ J m^?2 of UVA when observed at 6 h, a fiuence about 1000 times greater than that used to elicit UVB erythema. Studies in 51 guinea pigs demonstrated erythema immediately after irradiance, with a peak between 8 to 12 h, and a marked decrease in 48 h. The fiuence of UVA required to elicit erythema was similar to that required in humans. The two different light sources provided comparable data per unit exposure and were essentially similar to a Xe lamp. These data from both humans and guinea pigs strongly support the concept that UVA erythema can be assayed in guinea pigs and correlated with humans.     

A solar erythemal (sunburn) radiation dosimeter

Measurement of solar erythemal radiation is a technically demanding task because it is accompanied by a vastly greater flux of other solar radiation. An inexpensive solar erythemal radiation dosimeter has been designed which is based on the photocleavage of an alkyl disulphide. The reaction is carried out in a hydrocarbon solvent which can readily donate hydrogen atoms and as a result no polysulphides with absorptions in the erythemal action spectrum were formed. This avoided non-linearities in the dosimeter arising from inner filtering effects. The amount of alkylthiol produced as a result of exposure of the corresponding dialkyl disulphide solution to solar erythemal radiation was linearly related to the dose of radiation received.     

Objective measurement of minimal erythema and melanogenic doses using natural and solar-simulated light

Very little information exists on the amount of natural and artificial UV light required to cause sunburn and tanning in individuals with very pale skin who are at the greatest risk of developing skin cancer. We have investigated minimal erythema dose (MED) and minimal melanogenic dose (MMD) in a group of 31 volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types I and II using an Oriel 1000 W xenon arc solar simulator and natural sunlight in Sydney, Australia. We measured the erythemal and melanogenic responses using conventional visual scoring, a chromameter and an erythema meter. We found that the average MED measured visually using the artificial UV source was 68.7 +/- 3.3 mJ/cm2 (3.4 +/- 0.2 standard erythema doses [SED]), which was significantly different from the MED of sunlight, which was 93.6 +/- 5.6 mJ/cm2 (P < 0.001) (11.7 +/- 0.7 SED). We also found significant correlations between the solar-simulated MED values, the melanin index (erythema meter) and the L* function (chromameter). The average MMD (obtained in 16 volunteers only) using solar-simulated light was 85.6 +/- 4.9 mJ/cm2, which was significantly less than that measured with natural sunlight (118.3 +/- 8.6 mJ/cm2; P < 0.05). We mathematically modeled the data for both the chromameter and the erythema meter to see if we were able to obtain a more objective measure of MED and differentiation between skin types. Using this model, we were able to detect erythemal responses using the erythema index function of the erythema meter and the a* function of the chromameter at lower UV doses than either the standard visual or COLIPA methods.     

A behavioral model for estimating population exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation

Determining the variability of solar UV exposure of different members of a population by direct measurement demands high compliance over an extended period of time by a large number of people. An alternative approach is to model the variables that affect personal exposure and this is the basis of the method reported here, which uses a random sampling technique to explore variability of exposure at different times of the year by habitués. It is shown that there are large variations in daily personal erythemal exposure, more so for indoor workers living in northern Europe than those resident in Florida, which are due not only to seasonal changes in ambient, but just as importantly to seasonal variation in behavior. Not surprisingly, holiday and summer weekend exposure account for the largest daily UV doses. Northern Europeans who take their summer vacation in Florida can double their exposure during this period compared with holidaying at home and this illustrates just how important sun protection measures should be during recreational exposure in areas of high insolation if the annual UV burden is to be sensibly controlled.     

Inactivation of influenza virus by solar radiation

Influenza virus is readily transmitted by aerosols and its inactivation in the environment could play a role in limiting the spread of influenza epidemics. Ultraviolet radiation in sunlight is the primary virucidal agent in the environment but the time that influenza virus remains infectious outside its infected host remains to be established. In this study, we calculated the expected inactivation of influenza A virus by solar ultraviolet radiation in several cities of the world during different times of the year. The inactivation rates reported here indicate that influenza A virions should remain infectious after release from the host for several days during the winter "flu season" in many temperate-zone cities, with continued risk for reaerosolization and human infection. The correlation between low and high solar virucidal radiation and high and low disease prevalence, respectively, suggest that inactivation of viruses in the environment by solar UV radiation plays a role in the seasonal occurrence of influenza pandemics.     

Sulfur aromatic heterocycles: A new kind of solar ultraviolet-B radiation actinometers

Indoline-2-thione (BC) and benzimidazole-2-thione (BN) are two aromatic compounds containing a NCS synthonic unit in a heterocyclic ring of five centres, where the main electronic absorption bands are localized in the spectral range of the ultraviolet A and B.After ultraviolet irradiation by artificial sources or sunlight, these molecular systems in aqueous solution, under controlled pH, present a simple pattern of photochemical reactions defined by a typical isosbestic point in the electronic absorption spectra. The photolysis process observed follows a good linear behavior as function of the irradiation time, being a particular actinometer of short time exposition.On the other hand, the final photochemical products of indoline-2-thione and benzimidazole-2-thione, after irradiation, were identified as indole and benzimidazole, respectively. Other properties such as molecular stability in acid solution at pH < 2, photochemical conversion in a linear response in the time range from minutes to hours, and photochemical quantum yields are reported.Due to the use of water as solvent, without a health hazard by direct manipulation, from an environmental point of view we propose these two thione compounds as new potential photochemical actinometers of solar ultraviolet-B radiation.     

Decrease in langerhans cells and increase in lymph node dendritic cells following chronic exposure of mice to suberythemal doses of solar simulated radiation

Exposure of certain strains of mice to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) causes suppression of some innate and adaptive immune responses. One such consequence of acute UVB exposure is a reduction in the number of Langerhans cells (LC) in the epidermis and an increase in dendritic cells (DC) in lymph nodes draining the irradiated skin sites. Exposure to chronic UVB irradiation also has effects on the immune system, but it is unknown what effects are caused by repeated doses of solar simulated radiation (SSR). Consequently, the main aims of the present study were to determine whether repeated exposure to low doses of SSR would lead to similar changes in these cell populations and whether chronic doses of SSR activate a protective photoadaptation mechanism. Groups of C3H/HeN mice were irradiated daily with 3.7 J/cm(2) SSR from Cleo Natural lamps for 2, 10, 20, 30 or 60 days. Further groups of mice received an additional dose of 7.4 J/cm(2) SSR on days 2, 10, 30 or 60 to test for photoadaptation. The numbers of LC in the epidermis and DC in the lymph nodes draining irradiated skin sites were counted 24 h after the final irradiation. With the exception of mice irradiated for only 2 days, LC were significantly reduced throughout the chronic irradiation protocol, and no recovery occurred. DC numbers were significantly increased in the draining lymph nodes of mice irradiated for 20 days and 60 days.     

A mathematical model for seasonal variability of vitamin D due to solar radiation

It is widely recognized that vitamin D deficiency has detrimental health consequences. The ultraviolet (UV) B radiation increases the serum vitamin D level, expressed by 25-hydroxyvitamin-D(3) [25(OH)D]. An analytical model is presented to calculate the serum 25(OH)D changes throughout a year, caused by the solar exposure variability due to geophysical and habitual factors. The model is tuned by taking into account recent experimental results of serum 25(OH)D changes, after a series of artificial (by fluorescent tubes) UV exposures. The model uses the erythemal and vitamin D weighted irradiances, inferred from the Brewer spectrophotometer and the Kipp and Zonen broad-band meter measurements, carried out in Belsk (52°N, 21°E), Poland, in 2010. The modeled seasonal pattern of the serum 25(OH)D concentration in Polish indoor workers is only slightly different, than in subjects with typical outdoor activity habits, and in those with sun-seeking behavior. A deep minimum in the serum 25(OH)D concentration appears in late winter, regardless of outdoor activity habits. An extra sunbathing to boost the vitamin D level is not worth taking, because of a minor improvement of the vitamin D status, and because of a greater erythema risk. It would be much safer and more effective to maintain an adequate vitamin D level through diet supplements, even in summer, for non sun-seeking subjects.     

Plant responses to current solar ultraviolet-B radiation and to supplemented solar ultraviolet-B radiation simulating ozone depletion: an experimental comparison

Field experiments assessing UV-B effects on plants have been conducted using two contrasting techniques: supplementation of solar UV-B with radiation from fluorescent UV lamps and the exclusion of solar UV-B with filters. We compared these two approaches by growing lettuce and oat simultaneously under three conditions: UV-B exclusion, near-ambient UV-B (control) and UV-B supplementation (simulating a 30% ozone depletion). This permitted computation of "solar UV-B" and "supplemental UV-B" effects. Microclimate and photosynthetically active radiation were the same under the two treatments and the control. Excluding UV-B changed total UV-B radiation more than did supplementing UV-B, but the UV-B supplementation contained more "biologically effective" shortwave radiation. For oat, solar UV-B had a greater effect than supplemental UV-B on main shoot leaf area and main shoot mass, but supplemental UV-B had a greater effect on leaf and tiller number and UV-B-absorbing compounds. For lettuce, growth and stomatal density generally responded similarly to both solar UV-B and supplemented UV-B radiation, but UV-absorbing compounds responded more to supplemental UV-B, as in oat. Because of the marked spectral differences between the techniques, experiments using UV-B exclusion are most suited to assessing effects of present-day UV-B radiation, whereas UV-B supplementation experiments are most appropriate for addressing the ozone depletion issue.     

Diffuse component of solar ultraviolet radiation in tree shade

The first set of quantitative data of diffuse erythemal UV and UV-A radiation in tree shade at a sub-tropical Southern Hemisphere latitude is presented. Over the summer, approximately 60% of the erythemal UV radiation in tree shade is due to the diffuse component. Similarly, approximately 56% of the UV-A radiation in tree shade is due to the diffuse component. In tree shade these diffuse UV percentages are relatively constant from the morning to noon to afternoon periods. In comparison, in full sun, there is a decrease in the percentage of diffuse UV from morning to noon to afternoon. The exposures to diffuse UV on a horizontal plane in tree shade between 9:00 EST and 15:00 EST are of the order of 4 MED (minimum erythemal dose) and 14 J cm(-2) for erythemal UV and UV-A, respectively. The high diffuse UV component in the shade may result in high UV exposures not only to unprotected parts of the body on a horizontal plane, but also in equally high UV irradiances to parts of the body, including the eyes and face, that are not UV protected.     

Simplified calibration for broadband solar ultraviolet radiation measurements

Aspects of different calibration procedures for erythemally weighing broadband radiometers are presented in this study. These instruments are common in projects dealing with ultraviolet radiation effects on humans. Many erythemally weighing broadband radiometers are still operated using a single calibration factor (cf) that is provided with the instrument. The individual characteristics of every instrument are strongly dependent on the total ozone amount and the solar elevation. Therefore, a calibration procedure also has to take into account the ozone concentrations and the solar elevation to compensate for the effects of the individual characteristics and to provide comparable measurements. Given the variation of the ozone concentrations and the solar elevation, an individual cf has to be calculated for every measurement. Using a simplified version of the calibration procedure, which is presented in this study, can lessen this effort. Taking into account the relevant meteorological conditions for a measuring site, a single cf is calculated to compensate the individual characteristics of the instruments and therefore deliver comparable measurements with less effort.     

ELDONET--a decade of monitoring solar radiation on five continents

The European light dosimeter network (ELDONET) comprises more than 40 stations in 24 countries on 5 continents. The present report compares solar radiation data in the photosynthetic active radiation, UV-A (315-400 nm) and UV-B (280-315 nm) wavelength ranges for 17 stations at different latitudes on the northern and southern hemispheres for up to 10 years of monitoring. While the maximal irradiances on clear days follow a latitudinal gradient due to the cosine dependence on the solar angle, the total doses strongly depend on the local climate and atmospheric conditions as well as the day-length distribution over the year. UV-B irradiances and doses are strongly influenced by the total column ozone, which is recorded for all covered stations.     

Effects of solar radiation on collagen and chitosan films

Photo-aging and photo-degradation are the deleterious effect of chronic exposure to sun light of many materials made of natural polymers. The resistance of the products on the action of solar radiation is very important for material scientists. The effect of solar radiation on two natural polymers: collagen and chitosan as well as collagen/chitosan blends in the form of thin films has been studied by UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy. It was found that UV-Vis spectra, which characterise collagen and collagen/chitosan films, were significantly altered by solar radiation. FTIR spectra of collagen and collagen/chitosan films showed that after solar irradiation the positions of amide A and amide I bands were shifted to lower wavenumbers. There was not any significant alteration of chitosan UV-Vis and FTIR spectra after solar radiation. In the condition of the experiment chitosan films were resistant to the action of solar radiation. The effect of solar UV radiation in comparison to artificial UV radiation has been discussed.     

An estimation of biological hazards due to solar radiation

A spectrum evaluator based on four different dosimeter materials has been employed to estimate the spectral irradiances of solar radiation for exposed humans. The result is used to calculate the biologically effective irradiance using the erythemal action spectrum and a fish melanoma action spectrum. Measurements are made in winter at a sub-tropical site on the chest and shoulder of subjects during normal daily activities. Up to 95% of the total UV exposure received is in the UV-A waveband (320-400 nm). The UV-A waveband is found to contribute approximately 14% of the erythemal UV and 93% of the biologically effective UV for fish melanoma. Extrapolation to humans suggests that exposure to the UV-A band will contribute to photodamage in human skin during exposure to solar radiation.     

Effects of solar radiation on cutaneous detoxification pathways.

Because of its accessibility the human skin is constantly exposed to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It is increasingly appreciated that exposure of the mammalian skin to UV plays a causal and decisive role in acute and chronic skin damage including the development of skin cancer. UV exposure causes sunburn, pigmentation, hyperplasia, immunosuppression, DNA damage, photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. To cope with constant environmental damage the skin possesses elaborate enzymatic detoxification systems. This paper briefly focuses on the effect of solar radiation, particularly UV spectrum, on detoxification pathways in the skin. Specifically the effect of solar radiation on cytochrome P450, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase and ceruloplasmin has been discussed.     

A note on the inactivation of influenza A viruses by solar radiation, relative humidity and temperature

We critically investigate the claim put forward by Sagripanti and Lytle ([2007] Photochem. Photobiol. 83, 1278-1282) that inactivation of influenza A virus by solar radiation can explain the seasonality of influenza epidemics. We correct an error in the Sagripanti and Lytle paper and show that changes in relative humidity and temperature affect influenza virus inactivation as strongly as variation in solar radiation. Furthermore, it appears unlikely that transmission in outdoor settings plays an important role during influenza outbreaks, because influenza A virus is sensitive to a wide range of environmental factors.     

A study of the radiation chemistry of phosphorous compounds

The partial charges of atoms of a number of organophosphorous compounds were calculated by the method of iterative partial equalization of orbital electron negativity (PEOE) presented by Gasteiger and Marsili, and from the calculated partial charges of carbon atoms of the ester alkyl groups in three stereoisomers each for tributylphosphate and dibutylphenylphosphonate, it was found that in all cases the carbon at the α-position to oxygen possesses the largest density of positive charge, such that the C_α—C_β bonds were more readily broken than other C—C bonds. The experimental results supported this conclusion by examining the G-values of gaseous alkane (alkene) radiation products. From the low temperature measured esr spectra of several phosphates and phosphonates γ-irradiated at 77°K and it was seen that these spectra were composed of several radicals formed by different reaction processes. Like TMP, the esr spectrum of dimethyl methylphosphate irradiated in low temperature contained also four kinds of radicals. The net atomic charges as well as the values of mulliken population matrix condensed to atoms were calculated by CNDO/2 MO and by ab initio MO methods for comparison. In all cases the net atomic charges of the carbon in C—P bonds were positive. Since the phosphoryl radical was found in esr spectrum of DMMP, it implied that the C—P bonds were also broken during irradiation. In our work, the products of C—P fission were truly found and their G-values were determined by gas chromatography. For studying of energy transfer, two binary systems (TBP-DPPP and TBP-benzene) were irradiated and the G-values of polymer, di-and monobasic acids were measured and compared. In these systems the intermolecular energy transfer were predominate. DPPP had higher scavenging effect than benzene.     

A new study on solid-state cyanine dye-sensitized solar cells

A new cyanine dye, 7-{1-[2-(4-morpholine-1,8-naphthalimide)ethyl]-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-}-2-[3-(5-carboxyl-1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1-butyl-indolin-2-methylene)-propenyl]-1,1-dimethyl-3-buty-1H-benzo[e]indolium iodide (BIDC), has been synthesized and identified with regard to its structure and photoelectrochemical properties used as a sensitizer on dye-sensitized solar cells. A novel solid-state electrolyte with polyaniline-loaded carbon black (PACB)-1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide (MPII) composite was investigated on these dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The short-circuit photocurrent density (J _sc), open-circuit photovoltage (V _oc) and fill factor (ff) under 200 W/m² white light from a xenon lamp are 0.44 mA/cm², 550 mV and 0.58, respectively, yielding an overall conversion efficiency (η) of 0.7%. The most merit of the solid-sate electrolyte was free of volatile and flammable fluid components and easy of encapsulation for DSCs.