Research on UV Disinfection
Aim
The main goal of our investigations is the quantitative measurement of the microbicidal efficacy of UV disinfection systems.
Research on UV Disinfection of Drinking Water
In the past few decades, UV irradiation for drinking water disinfection has gained remarkable popularity especially in Europe but also throughout the world. Despite highly developed mathematical and modelling methods it is still not yet possible to calculate the disinfection performance of a UV system.
Biodosimetry has proven reliable to assess the disinfection efficacy of UV systems. We have developed a standardized method which has been incooperated in ÖNORM M 5873-1, ÖNORM M 5873-2, DVGW W 294 and is acknowledged in the Guidance Manual (US EPA). Biodosimetry is based on UV-254 nm calibrated microorganisms resulting in the so-called Reduction Equivalent Fluence (REF). The term REF has been established by our team already in 1996 (Cabaj et al., 1996).
What is the UV-Fluence in a flow through system?
Remarkable arguments in favor of the use of UV Water Disinfection
- No addition of chemicals
- Very short reaction time
- Inactivation process neither pH- nor temperature-dependent
- Specific inactivation mechanism
- Effective also against permanent stages of pathogens, like Cryptosporidium oocysts
