Source: Textile Review

Acute and cumulative exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is major cause of skin cancer. Other harmful effects of UVR on the skin are erythema or sunburn, photo ageing, and suppression of the immune system. With the alarming increase in the rate of ozone layer depletion in the earth's atmosphere, the risks involved due to prolonged exposure to solar UV radiation are increasing day by day. Hence it becomes imperative to protect the human skin and other materials from harmful effects of solar UV radiation.

Acute and cumulative exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is major cause of skin cancer. Other harmful effects of UVR on the skin are erythema or sunburn, photo ageing, and suppression of the immune system. Almost all the radiation of wavelength below 290 nm is filtered out by the ozone layer in earth's atmosphere. The UV part of the solar radiation (290400 nm) is beneficial to human beings in small doses; however large doses, especially in the short UVB range (280-375 nm) may cause sunburns, skin cancer, photokeratitis, photodermatosis etc. In addition to its deleterious effects on human beings, it also deteriorates the material properties of apparel, upholstery, draperies, carpets, furniture, paints, electronic parts, building construction materials - wood, plastic panels etc. and other articles of outdoor use and limiting their durability and life span. The solar radiation also consists of Infra Red OR) region, which causes the temperature to rise, causing discomfort to persons working in outdoor situations. With the alarming increase in the rate of ozone layer depletion in the earth's atmosphere, the risks involved due to prolonged exposure to solar UV radiation are increasing day by day. Hence it becomes imperative to protect the human skin and other materials from harmful effects of solar UVradiation.

Sun light is the source of life for any living being on earth. It reaches the surface of the earth at a wavelength between 290 and 3000 nm. Radiation between 290 and 400 nm referred to as ultraviolet or UV radiation. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is a risk factor for the formation of malignant neoplasm of the skin and for skin ageing. In recent years, the incidence of all, especially of malignant, skin tumors has strongly increased. The UV part of the solar radiation (290-400 nm) is beneficial to human beings in small doses; however large doses, especially in the short UVB range (280-315 nm) may cause sunburns, skin cancer, photo keratitis, photodermatosis etc. The epidemiologically most effective methods of UV protection are avoidance of sun exposure and the use of physical means, in particular of sun protective textiles.

Sunscreen has been used for reducing human exposure to harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Methods for protection against the harmful effects of UV on human skin have been proposed by a number of authors (Foot et al. 1993, Diffey, Cheeseman 1992, McGee and Williams 1992, Standford et al. 1995, Wong 1994). The application of these methods indeed would certainly reduce the level of exposure but it is essential that these methods are used with sufficient understanding of scientific data. So, UV protection by fabrics has been a topic for past few years but it remains a complex subject. Even today there are not many people (even in textile industry) who fully understand the details. Clothing is perceived as a good means of sun protection, but not all apparel is sufficiently protective against UV radiation. As it deteriorates the material properties of apparel, upholstery, draperies, carpets, furniture, paints, electronics parts, building construction materials- wood, plastic panels etc and other articles of outdoor use and limiting their life span. The solar radiation also consists of infra red region, which causes the temperature to rise, causing discomfort to persons working in outdoor situations.

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About the Authors:

Ankur Saxena is an Assistant professor, Department of Fashion Technology, NIFT Delhi and Ankita Srivastava is a Research Scholar, Department of Textile Technology, IT Delhi.