Re: UV (BB / Bilirubin) Tubes?

Henry Rattle (Henry.Rattle@port.ac.uk)
Fri, 07 Nov 1997 08:58:08 +0000

>Does anyone know what Bilirubin tubes are for? I am looking at a used
>exposure unit that has 2 F20T12/BB tubes in it. My catalog says BB stands for
>Bilirubin, but I don't know anything about it. Can they be used to expose
>dichromate sensitized material?

Dave - My biochemistry text says that bilirubin is a compound formed during
the breakdown of heme groups when your body degrades time-expired red blood
cells. Too much of it shows up as jaundice.

When infants have jaundice, they are treated by bathing them in light from
a fluorescent lamp. This photochemically converts bilirubin to more soluble
compounds that the infant can degrade and excrete. I would guess that this
is the type of lamp you have. If it can cause photo-reactions in a baby's
skin, I guess it should do it for printing too - though I would hope for
the baby's sake that the UV isn't very powerful or very short wave.

best wishes

Henry Rattle