An illuminator, comprising: a first set of ultraviolet radiation sources (14; 114), a second set of ultraviolet radiation sources (16; 116), a set of sensors (20; 120) for acquiring data regarding a surface of an object (12; 112) to be irradiated by the first and the second set of ultraviolet radiation sources, and a control system (22; 122) configured to control and adjust a set of radiation settings for the first (14; 114) and the second (16; 116) set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the data acquired by the set of sensors (20; 120), wherein the control system (22; 122) operates the second set of ultraviolet radiation (16; 116) sources to irradiate the surface of the object (12; 112) to maintain a level of microbial activity within a limit over time, characterized in that each ultraviolet radiation source in the first set of ultraviolet radiation sources (14; 114) includes at least one light emitting diode operating in a wavelength range of approximately 270 nanometers to approximately 290 nanometers, that each ultraviolet radiation source in the second set of ultraviolet radiation sources (16; 116) includes at least one light emitting diode operating in a wavelength range of approximately 380 nanometers to approximately 420 nanometers, and that the control system (22; 122) operates the first set of ultraviolet radiation sources (14; 114) to perform a more intense ultraviolet irradiation treatment at a short burst of intensity of at most a few minutes to rapidly suppress the level of microbial activity on the surface of the object (12; 112) only when the level of microbial activity exceeds a predetermined contamination threshold. a first set of ultraviolet radiation sources (14; 114), a second set of ultraviolet radiation sources (16; 116), a set of sensors (20; 120) for acquiring data regarding a surface of an object (12; 112) to be irradiated by the first and the second set of ultraviolet radiation sources, and a control system (22; 122) configured to control and adjust a set of radiation settings for the first (14; 114) and the second (16; 116) set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the data acquired by the set of sensors (20; 120), wherein the control system (22; 122) operates the second set of ultraviolet radiation (16; 116) sources to irradiate the surface of the object (12; 112) to maintain a level of microbial activity within a limit over time, characterized in that each ultraviolet radiation source in the first set of ultraviolet radiation sources (14; 114) includes at least one light emitting diode operating in a wavelength range of approximately 270 nanometers to approximately 290 nanometers, that each ultraviolet radiation source in the second set of ultraviolet radiation sources (16; 116) includes at least one light emitting diode operating in a wavelength range of approximately 380 nanometers to approximately 420 nanometers, and that the control system (22; 122) operates the first set of ultraviolet radiation sources (14; 114) to perform a more intense ultraviolet irradiation treatment at a short burst of intensity of at most a few minutes to rapidly suppress the level of microbial activity on the surface of the object (12; 112) only when the level of microbial activity exceeds a predetermined contamination threshold.