Portable UV Water Treatment
Portable water treatment is often a necessity for campers, hikers and international travelers. Hand-held UV water disinfection devices are one option for wilderness drinking water treatment; they remove bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens from water and do not affect the taste or color of the treated water.
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The Facts
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A UV treatment device of any size emits ultraviolet light at a wavelength that is harmful to microorganisms. UV light damages the DNA or RNA of microorganisms, rendering pathogens noninfectious and bacteria incapable of reproducing. Some bacteria, which have a certain enzyme, can repair their DNA after a period of exposure to visible light and become active again; this is termed photoreactivation. UV treatment does not remove chemical contaminants or filter dirty water.
Features
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The main feature of a portable UV water treatment device is a small UV lamp that is inserted into the water. A battery power source makes these devices feasible for use while camping and hiking. Some portable UV treatments are stand-alone devices which can be inserted into any container of water, while some are integrated into the lid of a water bottle.
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Function
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Portable UV treatment devices are designed to treat up to 1 liter of water at a time. To disinfect water, the UV lamp is inserted into the container of water and turned on. The normal treatment time is 80 to 90 seconds. The University of Maine Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology found that a portable UV treatment device met or exceeded the EPA standards for removal of bacteria and viruses in drinking water.
Benefits
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Portable UV water treatment devices are small and easily transportable. They also disinfect water more quickly than some other purification systems commonly used by campers, such as boiling, chlorine and iodine tablets. UV treatment does not produce any chemicals or other byproducts in the water, and thus does not affect the taste of the water as chlorine or iodine can. UV water treatment can be used in combination with a portable filtration system to ensure maximum disinfection.
Considerations
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UV disinfection is less effective in dirty water; however, longer exposure to UV will eliminate more microorganisms. In a study published in the Fall 2007 issue of the International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, a team of mechanical engineering students at Rice University found that doubling the recommended exposure time to UV effectively disinfected a highly contaminated water sample. Photoreactivation is also a risk, but it can be eliminated by immediately consuming treated water or storing it in an opaque container.
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