Utraviolet Disinfection Systems
Questions
& Answers
Part 1 - What is UV light?
Part 1 - What is UV light?
Question: What is UV light?
Answer: UV light is part of the
electromagnetic spectrum, shining at a specific wavelength.
All light is given off at different
wavelengths. For example if you see a rainbow, you will notice that the colors
are always in a specific order from red all the way to blue. You are able to
see each color due to their individual wavelength. These wavelengths are part
of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
UV light is at a wavelength of 254nm
(nanometers), and is not visible to the naked eye. This portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum is termed UV-C light or a germicidal wavelength. At
this 254nm microorganisms undergo a genetic alteration which ultimately results
in inactivation.
UV System manufacturers are able to
harness this wavelength of light in UV lamps, which will ultimately disinfect
your water.
Question: Do I need to disinfect my municipal water
supply?
Answer: Our municipalities work
very hard to provide safe, disinfected water for their customers. This is quite
evident when you consider the difficulties involved in providing safe drinking
water through a vast distribution network.
If you use water that comes from a
municipal water supply and wish to provide your family with an added
"peace of mind", then we believe a UV system acts as an inexpensive
insurance policy against the possibility of drinking
bacteriologically-contaminated water.
Question: Why do I need to disinfect my water supply?
Answer: Disinfection is
recommended for all water supplies that are not protected by a municipal water
source (ex. A private well).
Unfortunately, due to the uncertainties
that exist with our current water supplies, we can no longer rely on the fact
that our water supplies 'may be safe'.
By providing your own disinfection, you
are taking the responsibility of ensuring the safety of your water supply for
you and your family.
Question: Is UV light harmful?
Answer: You never want to expose
your skin or eyes to the light from a UV system. UV light is non-visible
however it can be harmful, similar to the harmful effects of UV light from the
sun.
UV lamps can actually cause a severe
sunburn-like effect if skin is exposed for long periods of time.
Always ensure that you are wearing some
type of protective glasses (ie. Safety glasses or sunglasses) when working on a
UV system and the lamp is exposed.
You want to make sure that you do not
touch the UV lamp with your fingers as the oil from your hands will form a
residue on the lamp and can potentially block UV light.
Question: Will UV change the taste and/or odor of my
water?
Answer: No. With chemical
disinfection, such as chlorination, the taste and odor of your water will
change (depending on chlorine levels water can smell and taste of bleach) and
disinfection by-products will be produced.
A few examples of chemical disinfection
by-products (DBP) are trihalomethanes and haloacetic acid. Both of these DBP's
can be carcinogenic when ingested at high levels.
The pH and conductivity of drinking
water also changes when chlorine is added.
UV is a physical type of disinfection.
This means that the UV will have an effect on the microorganisms in the water
only.
The water will not change chemically,
nor will the taste and odor change. The water may elevate in temperature if the
water has been left stagnant in the UV reactor (ie. During times of little or
no use - during the night).
Question: What is UV dose?
Answer: UV dose is the energy
that is coming off the UV lamp over a specific time period.
Therefore, UV dose (or fluence) is a
product of UV intensity and time. Dose is usually measured in milli joules per
square centimeter.
Each Sterilight system is rated to
disinfect your water at specific flowrate, under specific water quality
conditions to give a UV dose of 30 mJ/cm2 at the end of the lamp life (which is
one year).
If you were to run say 10 USGPM through
a 5 USGPM Sterilight system (ie. S5Q-PA) then you would only be receiving HALF
the dose that the system is rated at because you doubled the flow.
It works the other way as well. If you
were to have a 12 USGPM Sterilight system installed (ie. S12Q-PA) but you were
only running 6 USGPM through it then you would be receiving double the UV dose
as you are increasing the water's exposure time to the UV light.
The UV industry standard for dose is 30
mJ/cm2 at the end of lamp life (EOL) however different validation protocols
will specify different dose values.
Question: How does the UV light actually kill
microorganisms?
Answer: UV does not kill
microorganisms like chlorine does, but instead UV inactivates them. UV light at
a specific wavelength of 254 nms i(nanometers) readily absorbed by the genetic
material of microorganisms.
The DNA strand is coded with a specific
sequence of something called base pairs. The sequence of these base pairs codes
for certain characteristics.
UV light at 254 nm is readily absorbed
at the point on the microorganism's DNA strand which codes for reproduction.
A microorganism that cannot reproduce,
cannot make colonies and therefore cannot infect when consumed. In other words,
the microorganisms have been sterilized or neutered. They will eventually die
off.
.
Click here for Part 2 - Utraviolet
Disinfection Systems
Will a UV system kill all microorganisms in my
water?
Click here for Part 3 – Utraviolet
Disinfection Systems
Does my water require pretreatment before my
UV?
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