EXAMINATION OF SUN CHECK CARDS AS A FAST AND CHEAP INDICATION DEVICE FOR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

摘要

In order to evaluate the potential hazard for the skin and the eye presented by solar ultraviolet radiation, and to take corresponding precautions, it is necessary to characterise the biological effective irradiance or dose. Recently, inexpensive indicator cards ("sun check cards") became available that in principle would provide an attractive means to roughly indicate the local level of erythemal solar UV irradiance. We have characterised the properties of a number of different types of sun check cards in order to decide if the cards are an appropriate means of information for the hazard presented by solar UV exposure. We examined several parameters which may influence the colour of the cards with both outdoor trials under natural sunlight as well as indoor trials using a filtered artificial UV source.