When used for residential water treatment, UV solution has many advantages. The use of a UV water purifier offers an easy-to-maintain solution for treating various types of private water sources, such as dug or drilled wells, surface water from lakes, and harvested rainwater. Although each water source has its distinct water quality issues that may affect the efficiency of the UV water purifier, the basic concept remains consistent.
To achieve complete effectiveness, the UVC light produced by the lamp in a UV water purifier must pass through the water unhindered, allowing it to deactivate any existing microorganisms.
Ultraviolet Transmittance
Ultraviolet transmittance (UVT) refers to the water’s capability to transmit UVC rays. To achieve successful treatment, the source water should have a UVT above 75%. However, determining the UVT of water can be challenging as it does not correspond directly to its visual clarity.
Consider adding a teaspoon of sugar to a glass of distilled water. Once the sugar dissolves completely, the water appears as clear as before. However, the UVT can decrease from 100% to as low as 5%, which is the case with several water pollutants.
Tannins
When tannins are present in the source water, the UVT can easily decline to a range of 75% to 50%. These natural organic compounds are often present in surface waters such as lakes, rivers, and rainwater. They are picked up by water as it passes through peaty soil or decomposing vegetation. Tannins can give water a slightly yellow tint, a tart flavor, and/or an earthy scent, making them noticeable.
When an UV water purifier is working, tannins present an issue as they absorb UVC light when it passes through water. As a result, the UVC light dose reaching the microorganisms is reduced, and inactivation is not complete. Though a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter can remove small amounts of tannins, its absorption capacity is limited, and regular replacement is necessary.
Containments
Typical groundwater contaminants include minerals that cause water hardness (Ca2+, Mg2+) and iron. Similar to tannins, iron can hinder complete treatment by absorbing UVC light. Additionally, with the use of a UV water purifier, all three minerals can accumulate and cause buildup or deposit on the quartz sleeve over time. This process is hastened by the lamp’s heat and results in a white coating or buildup, similar to what happens on glassware and pipes when using hard water in a household.
As preciously mentioned, the deposit formation leads to reduced UV dosage and incomplete treatment. Cation exchange (water softener) can eliminate hardness and low levels of iron (<2 mg/L). In the case of elevated iron levels, removal is possible through oxidation and filtration. Alternatively, synthetic zeolite-based cation exchange media can extract dissolved iron and calcium hardness for more efficient removal.
Turbidity
Turbidity is yet another interfering contaminant that can exist in either groundwater or surface water. Its measurement is taken in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), and when the value exceeds 1 NTU, it can result in two issues during the UV inactivation process due to suspended matter.
The initial concern is that scattering of UV light diminishes the treatment’s efficiency. The second issue arises from shadowing, which occurs when microbes get trapped in suspended particles and are consequently shielded from UV light while traversing through the chamber. Proper filtration techniques can easily control turbidity. To guarantee optimal microbial inactivation, it is advisable to use a 5-micron filter ahead of the UV water purifier.
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