Can you use a UV light for making water safe?

[T. Erdelyi]

I read some where that you need at least a 390 nm UV light to kill any living organisims in water.

My question is can a Inova X5 UV light be used to achieve that goal, it's rated at 395 nm and if ya can use it how long for how much water also how would ya go about it?

 

[JCavSD]

Most public water agencies dose at UV 254, which is at or near the optimum wavelength for inactivation (doesn't kill, just neuters). 390 is on the far end of the scale and I'm not sure how effective it would be...but it isn't ideal.

 

[Marcelo Cantu]

I'm going to give an educated guess here but by the very nature of the wavelength in UV light, onewould have to devise a way to expose every bit of volume of the water to the light source for the required amount of time..Or not, I don't know. :foot:

 

[Preacher Man]

I don't know if the flashlight would work. I do know that UV from sunlight can be used, but it requires total and prolonged exposure, and preferably the use of a reflective surface under the transparent container.

 

[tknife]

I checked the Steripen site and it doesn't list the power of it, at least I couldn't find it.

 

[glee]

I'm going to give an educated guess here but by the very nature of the wavelength in UV light, onewould have to devise a way to expose every bit of volume of the water to the light source for the required amount of time..Or not, I don't know. :foot:

Ummm... yep...

http://www.steripen.com/ultraviolet-technology


Why reinvent the wheel or take the risk of doing it wrong?