THE STERILIZATION OF OILS BY MEANS OF ULTRA 



VIOLET RAYS 



LAWRENCE T. FAIRHALLi and PAUL M. BATES 2 



Chemistry Department, Army Medical School 



Received for publication, July 17, 1919 



The interesting fact that ultra violet rays have the power of de- 

 stroying bacteria has been known for some time and has received 

 extensive application in a variety of ways. These rays, which 

 are emitted by nearly every source of light to some extent, and 

 by electric discharges between electrodes of easily volatilizable 

 metals in particular, are of wave lengths shorter than those per- 

 ceptible to the eye. Ultraviolet radiations are very active chemi- 

 cally, among their noticeable chemical reactions being the forma- 

 tion of nitrous acid and of ozone, the decomposition of silver and 

 mercury salts and the decomposition of certain organic com- 

 pounds. Some organic substances tend to become polymerized 

 when exposed to the action of ultra violet rays. Thus, Pribram 

 and Franke found that recently distilled formaldehyde after 

 being exposed to ultra violet rays for some time contained a 

 substance which was identified as glycolyl aldehyde. Similarly, 

 Ostromisslenski (1912) showed that vinyl bromide is polymerized 

 in a few hours to cauprene bromide. Numerous other investi- 

 gators, Kailau, Thiele, Lesure, Berthelot and Gaudechon, have 

 demonstrated the effect of these rays in causing polymerization or 

 decomposition. 



Ultra violet rays have been employed chiefly as a bactericidal 

 agent and the reason for this is not far to seek. Sterilization by 

 light affords a very convenient mode of application and does 

 not introduce any objectionable substance into the material 

 acted upon. The method is limited, practically, by the fact 



1 Major, Sanitary Corps, United States Army. 



2 Private, First Class, Medical Department, United States Army. 



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THE JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, VOL. V, NO. 1 



