UV FILTRATION

Ultraviolet water filtration systems utilize UV radiations to interfere with the

reproduction of microbes like bacteria and viruses. Such microorganisms
contaminate the water, making it unsafe for consumption. UV systems can also
help minimize airborne pathogens to provide safe water for the entire
household.
A UV water purifier makes use of germicidal ultraviolet light to treat unsafe
water contaminated by such harmful microbes. It can fight pathogens without
the need to add anything to the water, except UV light. You may have heard
that UV rays are dangerous during sun exposure, but UV light from water
purifiers is not at all cancerous but rather quite safe. All it does is offers
the benefits of filtered water so you can enjoy water free of germs and
contaminants.
The terms microbe refers to any living micro organisms that may be present in
water. These can be of various types, such as viruses, parasites, bacteria and
even cysts. Some common contaminants that are found in water are E.coli,
algae, giarda and cholera. If ingested, these microbes can lead to serious health
issues, such as pneumonia and various gastrointestinal illnesses.

This makes it important to disinfect water before consuming it. While chlorine
and chloramines have common uses in removing contaminants from water, it
requires quite a large amount. Not to mention, some microbes in water can also
be chlorine-resistant.

ADVANTAGES OF UV FILTRATION :-
1. SAFE:-
UV water filters only make use of ultraviolet rays to kill harmful microbes in
the water. It does not involve any dangerous chemicals that can impact your
health negatively. Because it doesn’t use chlorine, you don’t have to worry
about byproducts.
2. EFFECTIVE:-
These water filters are extremely effective at eliminating up to 99.9% of
disease-causing microorganisms.

3. ODOR AND TASTE FREE:-

Since UV filters do not use any chemicals to disinfect water, water retains its
original taste, odor, and color, unlike methods that make use of chlorine.

4. ECO FRIENDLY:-
Some water filtration methods tend to waste water during the filtration process.
They also leave behind some by-products. This is not the case with UV water
filters, which makes them quite environmentally friendly as no water goes to
waste and no by-products are formed.

5. EASY TO STALL:-
UV water filters can easily be attached to whole house systems. This feature
makes them easier to replace, if needed.

6. LOW MAINTENANCE:-
Maintenance of a UV filter only requires changing the UV bulb once a year.
Other maintenance includes cleaning the quartz sleeve and replacing it every
two years.

7. COST EFFECTIVE:-
Getting a UV water filter is quite a budget-friendly option, whether you need a
single water purifier, or a whole house system. Since it is low-maintenance and
energy-efficient, you’ll enjoy plenty of savings.
UV TREATMENT
Ultraviolet (UV) water treatment systems effectively inactivate
microorganisms*, resulting in lowering the risk of contracting illnesses. The
ultraviolet light breaks down and inactivates water borne pathogens, leaving
them unable to reproduce. There are several benefits of UV water treatment,
here are some examples:

● Cost-effective
● No change to the taste or odor of the water
● Simple maintenanceNo disinfection by-products
● Reduce plastic bottle usageEnvironmentally friendly
● No moving parts to wear out
● Compact systems to fit in small and large places
● No added chemicals
WHAT IS A UV TREATMENT
■ Ultraviolet (UV) light is a type of light treatment.
■ Doctors use it to treat a number of skin conditions.
■ These include a type of skin cancer called T cell lymphoma.
■ There are different types of UV light treatment. The most common type is
UVB.
Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a common disinfection option for water treatment
in the developed world. A sufficient dose of ultraviolet light inactivates most
microorganisms. Ultraviolet light is produced by an electric arc struck in
mercury, or more recently, xenon vapor much like ordinary florescent bulbs.
The UV spectrum runs from 100 and 400 nanometers (nm) with the optimal
wavelength for bacterial disinfection occurring between 200 and 280 nm. The
most UV-resistant organisms are viruses, specifically Adenoviruses, and
bacterial spores. The protozoon Acanthamoeba is also highly UV resistant.
Bacteria and cysts of Cryptosporidium and Giardia are more susceptible.
The most UV-resistant organisms are viruses, specifically Adenoviruses, and
bacterial spores. The protozoon Acanthamoeba is also highly UV resistant.
Bacteria and cysts of Cryptosporidium and Giardia are more susceptible. As
with any disinfectant, the process consists of dose and contact time with
different organisms being affected differently. The dose for UV is expressed in
millijoules per square centimeter.
The dose for UV is expressed in millijoules per square centimeter. To increase
the dose, you can increase the output of the lamp, decrease the distance to the
lamp, increase the transmittance of the water or slow the flow through the
reaction chamber.
The objective of this study was to review the literature on UV disinfection and
extract quantitative information about the relation between the inactivation of
microorganisms and the applied UV fluence. The quality of the available studies
was evaluated and only high-quality studies were incorporated in the analysis of
water disinfection. The results show that UV is effective against all waterborne
pathogens.
DISINFECTION
WHAT IS DISINFECTION ?
Disinfection is defined as a process of complete elimination of vegetative forms
of microorganisms except the bacterial spores from inanimate objects.
Technically, there is reduction of ≥103 log CFU of microorganisms by this
method without spores.
HIGH LEVEL DISINFECTION (HLD):-
Used for shorter duration and able to kill 106 log microorganisms except spores,
e.g., glutaraldehyde (≥2.0%), OPA (0.55%), hydrogen peroxide (7.5%),
hypochlorite (650–675 ppm), and hypochlorous acid (400–450 ppm).
ITERMEDIATE LEVEL DISINDECTION (ILD):-
These disinfectants act against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and are mainly used
for noncritical items contaminated with blood/body fluids.
LOW LEVEL DISINFECTION (LLDs):-
are used to remove the vegetative form of bacteria, few fungi, and some
enveloped viruses from the noncritical items, e.g., 3% hydrogen peroxide,
quaternary ammonium compound, diluted glutaraldehyde, phenolics, etc.
DECONTAMINATION AND CLEANING:-
This is the process of removal of pathogenic microorganisms from objects so
that they are safe to handle. Cleaning is defined as removal of visible soil (e.g.,
organic and inorganic materials) from the surfaces and objects. Technically, it
achieves minimum reduction of ≥1 log CFU of microorganisms.

ANTISEPSIS: Antisepsis is a process of removal of germs from the skin.

When it is related to the patient’s skin, it means disinfection of living tissue or
skin. When it is related to the health care worker, it means reduction or removal
of transient microbe from the skin.
GERMICIDE: It is the agent that destroys germs. It includes both antiseptics
and disinfectants. The type of microorganism is identified from the prefix (e.g.,
virucide, fungicide, bactericide, sporicide, and tuberculocide).

Disinfection
● A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or
destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces.

● Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially

resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilization, which is an
extreme physical or chemical process that kills all types of life.

● Disinfectants are generally distinguished from other antimicrobial agents such

as antibiotics, which destroy microorganisms within the body, and antiseptics,
which destroy microorganisms on living tissue. Disinfectants are also different
from biocides—the latter are intended to destroy all forms of life, not just
microorganisms.

● It is also a form of decontamination, and can be defined as the process

whereby physical or chemical methods are used to reduce the amount of
pathogenic microorganisms on a surface.

●Disinfectants can also be used to destroy microorganisms on the skin and

mucous membrane, as in the medical dictionary historically the word simply
meant that it destroys microbes.

●Sanitizers are substances that simultaneously clean and disinfect. Disinfectants

kill more germs than sanitizers.

●Sanitizers are mild compared to disinfectants and are used majorly to clean
things that are in human contact whereas disinfectants are concentrated and are
used to clean surfaces like floors and building premises.