UV News

UV News Note: These UV news items have been gleaned from the Internet. The UV news are partially reproduced as found. AAW takes no responsibility for their accuracy. The links to the full UV articles were active at the time of posting.

UV Articles

May 07, 2008: Goodman Pool gets $10,000 for UV purification
The Capital Times, Madison, WI

The Madison City Council voted Tuesday night to give the Parks Division an additional $10,000 for the installation of an ultraviolet water purification system at the Goodman Pool.

Pool Manager Bonnie Griswold said the UV water treatment system is needed in addition to chlorine as a safeguard to keep the water clean.

Nationally, the 2007 swim season saw a 24 percent hike in Cryptosporidium outbreaks, including one in the Salt Lake City area that led to children under 5 being banned from city pools, Griswold told the council.

Germs causing recreational water illnesses are killed by chlorine, but chlorine is a slow acting disinfectant, she said.

The Goodman pool closed 16 times last year due to fecal accidents. It takes about 45 minutes to inactivate E. coli, the hepatitis A virus, and the giardia parasite, Griswold said.

In other cases it takes time to kill the germs and some germs like Cryptosporidium can live in a pool for days, she said.

"It would be difficult for our facility to survive that," Griswold told the council. It would interrupt the pool's programming and erode the public's confidence, she said.

UV light, which is used in other Madison pools, acts instantly and provides a non-chemical, environmentally friendly treatment option to address both chlorine resistant pathogens and chloramines -- which are irritating to a person's eyes and skin.

The new technology is highly effective and reliable, Griswold said.

State legislation is pending that requires UV water purification and filtering systems in all future public pools.

As more people use the Goodman pool, there are going to be more outbreaks, Griswold said.

It's a matter of educating the public that children shouldn't be swimming when they are ill, and that young children should wear waterproof diapers or "Little Swimmers" when they go swimming, she said.

Full text: Goodman Pool gets $10,000 for UV purification

April 21, 2008: Aqua New Jersey Receives Award for UV Treatment Plant from Water Resources Association
HAMILTON, N.J.-(BUSINESS WIRE)

$2.2 Million Facility Is a First Using UV Disinfection in New Jersey

Aqua New Jersey, Inc. (Aqua) received the Business & Industry Award from the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin’s (WRA) at its 26th Annual Recognition Dinner held last night in Philadelphia.

Aqua received the award for the installation of advanced ultraviolet (UV) water treatment in New Jersey.

The state-of-the-art UV treatment facility, located in Lopatcong Township, uses UV light treatment to enhance water quality for approximately 10,600 Aqua in Phillipsburg and Lopatcong, Pohatcong and Greenwich townships. Aqua was the first utility to use UV in this particular type of application and on this scale.

Aqua New Jersey President William Davis accepted the award on behalf of the company. “We are extremely proud to have been selected this prestigious award from such an important organization in our industry and our region,” said Davis. “These treatment facilities demonstrate how creative thinking coupled with technology can lead to cost-efficient solutions that serve public health and protect the environment.”

If Aqua had proceeded to build a traditional filtration plant, the cost could have been as much as $12 million. Davis said the company was able to effect the more affordable solution thanks to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection acceptance of the company’s proposed solution. The UV treatment facility has a capacity of 10.5 million gallons per day. Inside the plant, untreated water is disinfected with chlorine and then flows through a chamber where UV lights “saturate” the water. This “one-two punch” provides two distinct disinfection mechanisms, which effectively eliminate micro-organisms from what is already a very clean water source from wells along the Delaware River.

Aqua provides water and wastewater services to 150,000 residents across eight counties in New Jersey. It is a subsidiary of Aqua America, Inc., a large U.S.-based publicly-traded water company, serving approximately three million residents in 13 states.

Full text: Aqua New Jersey Receives Award for UV Treatment Plant from Water Resources Association

April 16, 2008: UV sanitizing aids Fresh & Easy’s green efforts
ThePacker.com

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets is using a unique sanitization method for its reusable shipping and display packaging.

The El Segundo, California-based division of British retailer Tesco uses an ultraviolet sanitizing machine as a part of a companywide mission to reduce its environmental burden.

“This eliminates the need for harsh chemical cleaners and such,” said spokesman Brendan Wonnacott.

Wonnacott said the method, which as been used in the pharmaceutical industry, works just as well as typical chemical cleaning methods.

Once the packaging is used at the store level, it is transported back to Fresh & Easy’s distribution center, where it is sent through the machine to be sanitized and disinfected.

Fresh & Easy has made a commitment to reuse or recycle all of its packaging and display materials.

Through efforts like UV sanitization, Fresh & Easy avoided releasing more than 111,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from trucks transporting waste to landfills, according to the company. Fresh & Easy says it has reused or recycled 192.5 tons of display packaging since the stores started opening in November.

Full text: UV sanitizing aids Fresh & Easy’s green efforts

April 15, 2008: UV brings disinfection benefits to the Food and Drink Industry
Process & Control Today

Despite the huge advances in cleanliness and disinfection techniques, the ongoing battle against potentially dangerous micro-organisms and microbial contamination in food continues. Part of the problem has been the ability of microbial organisms to adapt and survive traditional chemical treatments and continue to thrive, endangering the health of consumers. However developments in UV technology offer a safe, non-invasive solution.

Ultraviolet light is a natural component of sunlight. However, using higher energy wavelengths of UV light has the unique ability of destroying all dangerous micro-organisms. Unlike chemical disinfectants, which rely on chemical oxidation to disrupt the life functions of micro-organisms, UV is simply light energy that disrupts the DNA of harmful organisms. By disabling their DNA the life functions of these organisms are terminated, rendering them harmless. Because no chemicals are involved, consumers don’t have to worry about consuming potentially harmful chemicals or their by-products.

The food market is an increasingly regulated and safety-conscious one, driven by the growing demand for even higher quality standards. Food producing and packaging industries are now enjoying the unique benefits of UV technology. It kills all known spoilage micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, yeasts, protozoa and moulds (and their spores). It is a low maintenance, environmentally friendly technology and as well as not introducing toxins or residues into the process, it does not alter the chemical composition, taste, odour or Ph of the water or liquid being disinfected either.

Whilst being designed to meet the stringent sanitary requirements of the food industry, today’s UV disinfection systems can usually be easily integrated in-line into process systems with little disruption to plant operations. Also, the maintenance requirements are minimal – modern Amalgam UV lamps only need replacing once a year.

Malcolm Snowball, Technical Director of GB Environmental, an eminent manufacturer of advanced UV treatment, believes that UV technology holds the key to continued safe and effective disinfection: “Put simply, microbial organisms cannot survive UV treatment. Rather than simply killing micro-organisms UV actually inactivates them by disrupting their DNA, so they are unable to either metabolise or reproduce. UV is also very simple to apply to surfaces of products. There is no fear of chemical contamination and there are no negative after-effects from the process.”

Although the basic principal of UV sterilisation has been recognised for over a century, it is the spectrum of applications and advances in technology that are bringing it to the forefront today. “Advances in UV lamp technology have been vital in the development of the sector,” says Malcolm. “In the past energy consumption of the lamps has been an issue with some providers. However, a lot of effort has been made to address these issues and we at GB Environmental use reduced energy Amalgam UV lamps, which are three-times more efficient than medium pressure lamps and cut down the running costs significantly.

“Our products also focus heavily on making servicing and maintenance of UV equipment easier. With water cleansing, for instance, proteins within the water build up on the UV lamp and need to be removed. The only way to do this is to break the bond between the protein and the lamp sleeve. Our Safeguard™ UV water treatment product uses eight scrapers with Titanium Dioxide cleaning heads which are actually activated by the UV light and become an oxidizer, removing the proteins. The process can be periodically operated by users, is totally safe, non-toxic to humans and can even be used in hard water areas.”

Surface disinfection is another area where UV comes into its own. Simple UV tunnels can be installed on existing process lines to disinfect meat, poultry or eggs prior to packaging, or before they are transferred to High Care areas. Surface disinfection systems are also ideal for sterilizing food handling utensils, conveyor belts and packaging materials.

For food processors seeking to improve the quality of their product, UV is an economic, realistic option for many applications. The introduction of UV tunnels has also allowed a broad range of food manufacturers, from bakeries to meat processors, to give food handling a high level of disinfection. It is already a well established method of disinfecting drinking water throughout the world, and is also widely used for high purity uses such as pharmaceutical processing and semiconductor manufacturing, where water of the highest quality is essential. UV is also an environmentally friendly technology that allows processors to reuse wastewater, minimizing discharges.

Full text: UV brings disinfection benefits to the Food and Drink Industry

April 14, 2008: GB Environmental divisional reorganisation to target the Food and Drink Industry
Process & Control Today

GB Environmental, one of the world’s key manufacturers of advanced ultraviolet (UV) treatment equipment, has announced a divisional reorganisation of the company to focus on the Food and Drink industry. The reorganisation follows on from the company’s recent acquisition of Kaiku Ltd, which now joins the group as Kaiku Process Solutions to help it focus on this key market sector.

Commenting on the announcement, Sales and Marketing Director Ralph Coney, says: “It makes sense to manage our business in three divisions to tackle the specialist needs of different sectors. Kaiku’s expertise in product monitoring for the Food and Drink Sector perfectly compliments our UV capabilities providing the abilty to offer total solutions to this industry. Our GB Municipal division will cater for Municipal and Industrial water users. The UV Care division will continue to specialise within Healthcare, the Built Environment and Leisure.”

The Kaiku Process Solutions division, within GB Environmental, is the result of the company reorganisation and the acquisition of Kaiku Ltd. This means that GB Environmental can now offer Kaiku’s unique patented i-Pipe, an on-line fluid monitoring system, which detects changes in the chemical formulation without the need for invasive probes or manual sampling. This gives benefits such as greater control of ingredients and throughput, minimal downtime in the event of problems, elimination of manual errors and also minimises batch waste and prevents recalls.

The i-Pipe advanced monitoring equipment compliments GB Environmental’s existing range of cutting-edge UV treatment solutions for the Food and Drink industry. UV disinfection can be used in many aspects of food and drink production, from the supply water to finished products, ensuring at every stage that microbial contamination by bacteria, viruses, yeast and moulds is kept to an absolute minimum.

GB Environmental has an impressive portfolio of products that allows the company to offer UV solutions for liquids, solids, air and water. Combined with the process monitoring capability, the GB Environmental group now offers a complete solution to food and beverage processors.

Full text: GB Environmental divisional reorganisation to target the Food and Drink Industry

April 4, 2008: UV system to fight county pool germs
Deseret Morning News

WEST JORDAN - Salt Lake County-operated swimming pools are being equipped with ultraviolet light systems to help battle the parasite cryptosporidium and other bacteria that hang out in pools.
But health officials warn that technology never will replace hygiene when it comes to contamination illnesses.

Health officials and county Mayor Peter Corroon on Thursday showed off the first of the new UV light systems at the Gene Fullmer Recreation Center, 8015 S. 2200 West. All 24 Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation pools (some of the 18 county facilities have more than one) will have the UV systems, at a total cost of close to $1 million.

An outbreak of cryptosporidium along the Wasatch Front last year led to temporary barring of very young swimmers from public pools and heightened the rules on cleaning pools. The parasite, which lives in intestines, can be spread by poor hygiene and contact with contaminated water. The resulting gastrointestinal illness can be quite severe and last a week or two. More than 1,900 cases were lab-confirmed last year along the Wasatch Front; 30 is typical.

UV has proven highly effective against bacteria and parasites, but it's not a cure, and it's not the only tool being used to keep the water safe to swim in, says Teresa Gray, bureau manager over water quality and hazardous waste in the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

The UV lights themselves are inside canisters, and the water goes through its normal filtration and then through the reaction chamber, says Lynn Remund of CEM Aquatics, which installed the units, manufactured by a Wisconsin company.
In two hours, about 150,000 gallons can go through one of the units to be treated by the UV lights. But swimmers can be exposed to contaminants in water that has not yet been treated — and they also can recontaminate water. So chlorination is still needed, although in lower doses.

There's still "some possibility of contamination," says Jim Bosserman, Salt Lake County project manager. "It's not a cure-all, but it will help avoid or manage an outbreak."
...
Pool operators, both public and private, in other cities and counties also are considering the UV light systems or have installed other technological options such as ozone to improve the ability to keep pools clean and safe.

Full text: UV system to fight county pool germs

March 17, 2008: EPA orders sterilization of lake's water
auburnpub.com/localnews

SKANEATELES - Skaneateles Lake, 16 miles long and with a maximum depth of more than 300 feet, has long been known for being one of the cleanest bodies of water in the world. Besides serving the village of Skaneateles, the glacier-carved lake provides water to the city of Syracuse, along with municipalities such as Camillus and Elbridge.

The lake's water is so pure, in fact, that the municipal water systems do not filter the liquid. However, the Environmental Protection Agency wants to ensure the lake's water is as clean as possible.

As part of the guidelines for what's known as the “Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule,” which provides standards for unfiltered water systems, the EPA has asked the municipalities served by Skaneateles Lake to upgrade their systems.

Despite the water's purity, EPA representatives say the water potentially could contain some harmful parasites after it reaches the communities, so they ordered the municipalities to implement some method of sterilization. Both village and Syracuse leaders are considering installing ultraviolet lamps to “zap” the harmful organisms, said John Hunt, village director of municipal operations.

“We use what's called a 'filtration avoidance system,'” he explained. “That's pretty unusual in the context of water supply.”

The lake water is chlorinated and fluoridated. Until now, that was all the EPA required, Hunt said.

“Chlorination can kill certain types of microorganisms, but there are certain ones that chlorine has a very difficult time killing,” he said.

Two potentially harmful microorganisms are cryptosporidium, which can cause digestive problems in humans, and giardia lamblia, which can cause the intestinal disease popularly known as “beaver fever.”

Filtration will kill both parasites, Hunt said, but other technologies are available that don't require filters.

“The way the ultraviolet system works is, you put a bank of UV lights near your chlorinate, and that kills pretty much all your bacteria,” he said.

The UV systems, the plans for which Hunt said will be finalized in 2009, will be installed atop the water tanks on East Street.

“We'll have to cut into the infrastructure, then cut into the main pipe up at that tank farm to (install) the UV treatment system,” he said.

The completion of the system's installation, Hunt continued, depends on several factors.

Full text: EPA orders sterilization of lake's water

March 12, 2008: Pool operators hope to beat parasites with UV filtration systems
The Salt Lake Tribune

LAYTON - Utah's public pools are gearing up for the summer - and taking extra precautions to make sure last year's outbreak of parasites is not repeated.
 
Some operators, like the Clearfield Aquatic Center, are installing ultraviolet sanitation systems to guard against a parasite called cryptosporidiosis. The parasite caused almost 2,000 cases of reported illness last year.

The new equipment isn't cheap - Clearfield spent more than $88,000 on its system. Brigham City pool officials say UV filtration is the only way to make sure water is 100 percent clear of parasites, but it still isn't a perfect solution. While a pool may be clean in the morning, it could become infected within an hour of opening.

Full text: Pool operators hope to beat parasites with UV filtration systems

March, 2008: Engineering Methods for the Control of Airborne Infections
Harvard School of Public Health

Boston, MA - From July 14 to July 25 the Harvard School of Public Health will offer a two-week course on Engineering Methods for the Control of Airborne Infections: An International Perspective.

Lectures and laboratory workshops are designed to equip engineers from around the world with the technical skills and methods used to control infections that are predominantly or partially airborne.

Who Should Attend
 • Professional engineers
 • Architects
 • Health and safety specialists
 • International health workers
 • Government agency employees
 • Relief and response teams
 • Academics

Program Overview
This two week, multi disciplinary continuing education course is globally unique in that it brings together in one place a body of technical expertise common to the control human airborne infections. These include tuberculosis (including drug resistant strains), pandemic influenza, SARS, and selected bioterrorism agents.

Control strategies will range from mechanical ventilation, filtration, and the design and use of space, to the proper application of germicidal UV air disinfection and natural ventilation. The course will include didactic lectures, laboratories, and interactive workshops focusing on problem solving in both resource-rich and resource-limited settings

The strategies covered will be applicable to preventing transmission in workplaces, including clinics, hospitals, laboratories, and congregate living settings. Experienced faculty will be drawn from Harvard, CDC, NIH, and other domestic and international sources.

Upon Completion Of This Program, Participants Will Be Able To Plan and Assess:
 • Engineering interventions and outbreak preparedness, in the context of a comprehensive infection control plan for tuberculosis, influenza, SARS or select airborne bioterrorism agents
 • Optimal utilization of available indoor space, including laboratory design to reduce airborne transmission, protecting workers, and specimens
 • Natural and mechanical ventilation, engineering interventions -filtration, UV, and the proper function of biological safety cabinets
 • How to recommend and fit test personal respiratory protection
 • Bioaerosol behavior in indoor spaces, effects of humidity, sunlight, and other factors
 • Directional airflow: design and measurement of relative room pressures for isolation
 • Air filtration in-duct and free-standing room air disinfection units: use, selection, limitations, and maintenance
 • Ultraviolet (UV) air disinfection: theory, system design, fixtures, UV measurement, safety, limitations, and maintenance. Upper room versus UV in ducts or room air moving devices
 • Hospital design and space utilization for optimal control of airborne infections
 • Local ventilation: booths and rooms for sputum collection, bronchoscopy, and other high-risk procedures

Wednesday, July 16, 2008
8:00 History and Theory of UVGI
9:00 UVGI in Ventilation Ducts and Free-Standing Air Disinfection Units
10:15 Upper Room UVGI: Theory, Design, Fixtures, Measurements, Safety, Maintenance
11:00 UVGI Equipment: Maintenance and Repair
1:00 UVGI Meters and Measurements – Upper and Lower Room
2:30 UV Measurement Laboratory
3:30 Upper Room Design – Hands-On CAD and Other Methods
...

Full text: Engineering Methods for the Control of Airborne Infections

February 28, 2008: Upgraded UV System with Auto Wiper Installed
WaterandWastewater.com

Erlanger, KY -- The operators of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Richmond, BC, Canada, have opted to replace the existing low pressure UV disinfection system with a high output medium pressure UV system from Aquionics. The WWTP serves the Riverport Sports and Entertainment Complex and surrounding residential areas in southern Richmond, near Vancouver.

The facility decided to switch to medium pressure UV because cleaning the low pressure system was very difficult. Each of the two low pressure units contained 24 lamps – automatic wiping is not an option with that number of lamps, so cleaning had to be done either manually or with chemicals. This is an extremely time consuming process that required the entire system to be shut down.

The two Aquionics units, however, each contain just two medium pressure lamps, each of which is fitted with an automatic wiper that keeps the quartz sleeves clean during normal operation. There is no need to shut down the system for manual or chemical cleaning and no danger of damaging the lamps or exposure to wastewater.

The Aquionics units are installed after a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) and can treat a combined flow of up to 600 gallons per minute (2271 litres per minute) of wastewater from the adjacent sports complex and residential areas. The disinfected wastewater is discharged into the Fraser River.

Each of the UV units is fitted with a monitor which measures actual UV intensity and dose from the two lamps – providing real time information which can be downloaded for record keeping. Operating the UV system is simple and, when lamps need replacing, it can easily be carried out by on-site staff.

Full text: Upgraded UV System with Auto Wiper Installed

February 26, 2008: Enva Delivers Advanced UV Technology Solution for Westmeath
Enviroireland.com

Enva has announced the completion of its largest UV project to date for the supply, installation and commissioning of UV disinfection systems in part of the Westmeath water supply system.

Providing drinking water disinfection for four water treatment plants, including an installation at the recently upgraded Athlone water treatment plant, these systems will ultimately treat approximately 10 million litres of drinking water per day. They will provide greater protection from disease causing bacteria that may be present in the raw water, including cryptosporidium and a range of other chlorine resistant pathogens.

UV Technology
With UV technology, the disinfection process takes place as water flows through irradiation chambers (see Panel). A photochemical effect is created using UV light, and vital processes are stopped within the micro-organism cells, therefore making the micro-organism harmless. The UV light inactivates microbes by penetrating cell membranes to disrupt DNA molecules and prevent cell replication. When a microbe cannot replicate, it is incapable of damaging humans.

“UV is widely acknowledged as a critical component in the disinfection of a wide range of microbiological contaminants that can be found in drinking water. It has been successfully applied across the UK and United States for cryptosporidium inactivation, and research also shows that UV technology is effective against all known micro-organisms, and provides a highly effective solution against bacteria, algae, moulds, yeasts, viruses, cysts and protozoa,” points out Finbarr Pyne, technical development Director at Enva.

He continues: “Another key advantage of UV technology is that it also destroys micro-organisms which are resistant to chlorine, while UV does not form disinfection by-products which can pose health risks.”

Enva has now supplied in excess of 100 UV units of various sizes, with individual units ranging from low flow units to large flows of greater than 1,400m3 per hour. Units can be fully integrated with standard PLC or Scada controls, and are supplied in conjunction with ATG UV technology, which has over 25 years experience in the manufacture and application of UV technology across a range of international clients from large blue chip organisations and government controlled agencies. All units are third party bio-assay validated in accordance with the 2007 US EPA guidelines for UV technology.

Greg Duggan, Senior Engineer, Water Services at Westmeath County Council advises: “‘Westmeath County Council provides quality drinking water for over 66,000 people throughout the county on a daily basis. The Council had to deal with an outbreak of cryptospiridiosis in 2002, which greatly impacted on the quality of life for one third of water consumers. In order to meet the demands of the new European Communities (Drinking Water) (No.2) Regulations 2007 and minimise the threat of a micro-biological contamination to its water sources, Westmeath County Council has introduced innovative technology and work procedures as a highly effective solution to a complex risk.”

Key Support Services
Highlighting the key supports services offered by Enva, Finbarr Pyne adds: “As well as supplying and installing UV technology, Enva also offer the reassurance of a full and immediate after-sales service back-up. We offer full maintenance contracts by fully trained service engineers. We also provide a 24 hour callout service as part of our maintenance contract, while our facility in Cork carries a full range of back-up equipment.”

Enva Ireland specialises in providing innovative, efficient and cost-effective solutions for the treatment and disposal of a diverse range of wastes. The company is structured into seven divisions, with each division focusing on a certain business area and having its own identity within Enva. These divisions include Hazardous Waste, Water Treatment, Soil Treatment, Industrial & Automotive, Field Services, Underground Services and Foodservice Solutions. It operates four licensed facilities in the Republic of Ireland (Portlaoise, Shannon, Cork and Dublin) and two in Northern Ireland (Drumaness and Carryduff). It also has a Water Treatment operation based in Runcorn in the UK.

It operates high tech laboratories, at its Portlaoise, Shannon and Cork facilities, which focus on developing innovative treatment processes focusing primarily on recovery rather than disposal. According to Enva. It is currently the only environmental solutions company within Ireland to offer this level of specialised technical expertise combined with the infrastructure to deliver this service.

Enva Water Treatment specialises in accurately diagnosing operating issues at water and effluent treatment plants and then identifying and developing the most appropriate and cost-effective solution. It also provides a comprehensive range of water treatment products, as well as laboratory and engineering solutions for water and effluent treatment.

This division recently moved to a new purpose built 20,000 sq ft facility in Ringaskiddy, County Cork, where it employs 25 people and houses the company’s new state-of-the-art microbiological and chemistry laboratories. Enva hopes to expand its water treatment services to broader markets in Ireland and beyond, and in particular, to capitalise on the development of its unique electro-coagulation water recycling technology.

Full text: Enva Delivers Advanced UV Technology Solution for Westmeath

February 4, 2008: UV disinfection in meat processing
Processingtalk.com

Hanovia UV disinfection systems can improve safety standards and increase product shelf life in the meat processing industry. The compact systems are easily incorporated into many meat processing applications including wash water, brine chillers, meat marinade and pickle injectors and also for disinfecting wastewater for re-use. Disinfecting the water used to rinse carcasses and to wash process equipment and work surfaces can dramatically decrease contamination, increasing shelf life.

UV also reduces the amount of chlorine needed to disinfect rinse and wash water.

UV systems on recirculating brine chillers and meat pickle and marinade injectors are very effective at destroying harmful micro-organisms like Listeria and E.coli.

Depending on the model, some UV systems can operate very effectively through a wide range of temperatures and applications - from super-cooled brines to very hot sanitation cycles.

Additionally, in marinade applications, operating costs are reduced through less frequent fluid change-over.

The other application for UV in meat processing operations is as a non-chemical treatment for plant wastewater.

Increasingly, meat processors are caught between conflicting sets of regulations - while food hygiene regulations in many countries require increased use of water to rinse carcasses, environmental regulations are limiting the amount of fresh water that a plant can consume.

With only so much fresh water coming in, plants are forced to reduce capacity in order to meet these conflicting requirements.

By re-using disinfected wastewater in non-contact applications like chillers and cooling towers, more fresh water can be devoted to washing and processing.

Hanovia UV systems can be used in conjunction with other waste treatment processes to disinfect wastewater without chemicals, making it fit to use again.

By using this low-maintenance technology, plant production capacity can be increased and hazardous chemicals are eliminated.

Designed to meet the stringent sanitary requirements of the food industry, all Hanovia UV units can be easily integrated into plant control systems.

Maintenance requirements are minimal - typically the UV lamps only need replacing once a year, an easy operation which can be carried out by on-site personnel.

Automatic internal wipers keep the UV lamps clean, ensuring optimum UV output at all times - especially important in solutions with a high concentration of suspended solids.

Based in the United Kingdom, Hanovia is a world leader in UV disinfection technology for processing applications.

The company has over 80 years experience in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of UV systems worldwide.

Full text: UV disinfection in meat processing

February 3, 2008: Closed vessel, medium pressure UV available in UK
Processingtalk.com

After tremendous worldwide success of large, closed vessel medium pressure UV disinfection systems in municipal water and wastewater applications, Berson UV-techniek now offers them in the UK. Berson, a Halma company based in the Netherlands, will be building on the reputation of its British sister company Hanovia, and using the Hanovia extensive service support network. Berson medium pressure InLine systems are especially designed to provide closed vessel disinfection of both drinking water and wastewater at very high volumes and flow rates.

Berson is the only manufacturer of medium pressure UV water disinfection systems to be certified to the stringent German DVGW Standard, W294 (Parts 1, 2 and 3) - the highest standard currently possible in the world.

Major advantages of closed vessel, medium pressure UV compared to open channel, low pressure UV systems include a much smaller footprint, automated, mechanical cleaning of the UV lamps, and permanent de-activation of micro-organisms.

Conventional low pressure open channel UV wastewater systems often need large treatment channels and many numbers of UV lamps, taking up valuable space that could be used for other purposes.

Berson closed vessel, InLine medium pressure systems, on the other hand, have a very small footprint and can easily be integrated into existing pipework with minimal disruption: they are already widely used in Germany, France, Scandinavia, the USA and Australia.

Keeping all the UV lamps clean in open channel, low pressure systems is also a difficult task and usually requires chemical dosing, a costly and time-consuming process which produces unwanted waste products which have to be dealt with effectively.

Closed vessel systems, on the other hand, use in-built automatic wipers which manually clean the quartz sleeves surrounding the UV lamps, doing away with the need for chemical cleaning.

Finally, microbial re-growth, known as photo-reactivation, has been shown to occur when micro-organisms such as E.coli are treated with low pressure UV and subsequently exposed to sunlight, as is the case with open channel, low pressure UV systems.

This does not happen with closed vessel medium pressure UV systems.

'We are delighted to be moving into the UK municipal water and wastewater market,' commented Sjors van Gaalen, Berson managing director: 'Our UV technology is well established on the European continent and in the USA and Australia, but relatively unknown in the UK.

We strongly believe that our unique offering of closed-vessel, medium pressure UV technology will prove just as successful here as it has done around the world'.

Berson, along with fellow UV companies Hanovia in the UK and Aquionics in the USA, is part of the Fluid Technology Division of Halma plc.

Together, the three companies make up one of the largest suppliers of UV disinfection technology in the world.
 
Full text: Closed vessel, medium pressure UV available in UK

January 25, 2008: UV Disinfection Reduces Byproducts
WaterandWastewater.com

Erlanger, KY - It is now nearly three years since Poughkeepsies' Water Treatment Facility in New York state installed six Aquionics UV disinfection systems for drinking water treatment. In that time the closed chamber, medium pressure systems have been performing beyond expectations.

"We get approximately 5,000 hours of lamp life per UV system, but a few lamps have run for as long as 11,000 hours, which is excellent" commented Paul Lill, the facility's plant manager. "This means we only have to change the lamps about once a year while also reducing our running costs - always an important consideration."

Poughkeepsies' Water Treatment Facility serves a community of nearly 80,000, drawing water from the Hudson River to meet an average daily demand of 10.5MGD. Prior to installing the Aquionics equipment in March of 2005, chlorination was used in open settling basins, followed by filtration. This process required substantial chemical usage and produced significant disinfection byproducts.

With the addition of the Aquionics UV treatment equipment the amount of chlorine required for primary disinfection was significantly reduced, with a corresponding lowering of disinfection byproducts by up to 20%. Secondary, residual disinfection is provided by chloramines. The resulting disinfection levels complied with the new guidelines of the Surface Water Treatment Rule issued by the EPA.

The six Aquionics UV systems are situated downstream of the filters and operate in parallel. The medium pressure, closed channel design disinfects with far fewer lamps and with a much smaller footprint than comparable low pressure systems. Each chamber is fitted with UV monitors to measure actual UV fluence and dose for record keeping. With the addition of an optional online transmittance monitor, real time transmittance values are used to automatically adjust the dose pacing of the UV system.

"We originally considered alternative disinfection technologies to meet our goals," explained Lill. "The units' lower relative cost, their compact size which fits into our existing facility and the technical merit were all deciding factors in choosing Aquionics equipment."

To keep maintenance low, the systems are equipped with automatic cleaning mechanisms which keep the UV lamp sleeves free of organic deposits. When the lamps need replacing, it is a simple operation that is carried out by on-site staff.

Full text: UV Disinfection Reduces Byproducts

January 14, 2008: SANYO Provides Patented SafeCell UV Technology to Solve Contamination Problems
EMAILWIRE.COM

SANYO BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS, A division of SANYO Commercial Solutions provides patented SafeCell UV technology to solve contamination problems that occur in cell culture incubators

The CO2 incubator remains an essential tool for research and clinical laboratory work by directly exposing cell cultures and culture media to an enriched environment for growth.

Manufacturers of laboratory incubators claim to solve contamination problems with various approaches to incubator design through heat sterilization. Some of these techniques are moderately successful but limited in terms of long-term efficacy and convenience. Most require periods of downtime during which cultures must be removed and placed in other incubators to maintain temperature, humidity and CO2 levels. The problem with this is that all cell cultures, CO2 sensor, HEPA filters and other components must be removed prior to the process, effectively suspending the productivity of the incubator often in excess of 24 hours. It is an inefficient use of time and lab resources.

SANYO’S solution to this problem is patented UV technology. “In 2001 SANYO Electric Biomedical Co., Ltd. introduced a cell culture CO2 incubator that employs an isolated narrow-bandwidth ultraviolet (UV) light decontamination to destroy airborne contaminants in the incubator chamber, as well as water-borne organisms in the humidity water reservoir. Integrated with copper enriched interior surfaces and components which inhibit the growth of organisms without surface discoloration, the SANYO incubator offers an optimum cell culture environment through a process of Active Background Contamination Control™ which protects cultures in vitro, and minimizes frequent chamber cleaning and downtime,” exert from A Comparative Analysis of Ultraviolet Light Decontamination vs. High Heat Sterilization in the Cell Culture CO2 Incubator, with the Use of Copper-Enriched Stainless Steel Construction to Achieve Active Background Contamination Control whitepaper. A directional air-flow and containment plenum surrounds the UV exposed humidity reservoir in a removable, stainless steel pan. It is designed to independently destroy airborne particles during door openings, as well as contaminants that typically grow in the water reservoir. Because the UV lamp is visibly isolated from the cell culture chamber by a plenum cover, UV sterilization of air and water remains in process while cell culture continues uninterrupted.

In 2006, comparative testing commissioned by SANYO and performed by a certified independent testing laboratory confirms that the SANYO ultraviolet light sterilization process is as effective against bacteria, yeasts and molds as high heat sterilization at sustained temperatures ranging from +90°C to +140°C offered in competitive products. Additionally, the latest SANYO release, Model MCO-18AIC-UV, maintains an optimum cell culture environment in vitro through a process of "Active Background Contamination Control,” which a heat sterilization technique absolutely cannot replicate.

Full text: SANYO Provides Patented SafeCell UV Technology to Solve Contamination Problems

January 12, 2008: Detroit Lakes Community Pool Gets Ultraviolet Fix - Air Quality Was a Problem for Some Swimmers
Pippi Mayfield DL-Online

Several years ago, the Detroit Lakes Community and Cultural Center staff noticed the bricks on the outside of the building by the pool were turning white. After investigating, they found moisture from the inside was being forced outside.

“It obviously concerned us as to what’s going on,” CEO Stu Omberg said.

They found the problem wasn’t the pool but rather the air. In the world of pools, air pressure should be tested at negative. The DLCCC’s was positive.

There are two different ways to treat pools — chlorine, which the DLCCC uses, and bromine, which is extremely expensive.

“The vast majority of commercial pools use chlorine,” Omberg said.

Chlorine is used to burn the bacteria in the pool. The downside of chlorine is that it degrades and turns into chloramines, which are lifted into the air and can cause respiratory problems for some people.

Tracy Boldt of rural Frazee said her 10-year-old daughter was one of those people.

“She would ingest the gas Monday and by Thursday she’s having a severe migraine headache,” Boldt said. “By the weekend she was fine, detoxifying, you could say.”

An avid swimmer who formerly swam for the DL Sunfish, and now swims for an independent group, the girl suffered symptoms that included painful headaches, respiratory problems, vomiting and even passing out and hallucinations.

“She said the floor levitated up at her in the shower,” said Boldt, who is a registered nurse. The girl was taken to a doctor and a chiropractor, but the symptoms didn’t go away until she quit using the community center pool.

“We eventually realized it was the pool, and that took care of it. She’s fine now,” Boldt said. “She swam at the indoor pool at Perham all summer and she swims at the Detroit Lakes High School pool now. She’s got no problems.”

It’s the chloramines that have been causing the problems at the DLCCC. Omberg said staff checks the chlorine levels in the pool twice a day to make sure they are within state health department guidelines, which they always have been.

“Pool water wasn’t the issue,” he said.

The Minnesota Department of Health cannot test air quality, he said, but when it tested the water quality, the DLCCC always passed the test.

As the chloramines formed and the pool would fill with more people, with the splashing, the chloramines would lift into the air and attach to objects in the room, causing items to rust.

Also, Omberg pointed out, chlorine is odorless, so it was the chloramines people could smell when walking into the pool area.

So, to solve the problem of the chloramines, the DLCCC received a $53,700 loan from the Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corp., the developers of the community center, to install an ultraviolet system to treat the water before it goes into the pool.

The system was installed in the pool at the end of last week and will be in the spa within the next 45 days.

Eight hundred gallons of water per minute are fed into the pool, and now that water will run through the ultraviolet system before hitting the pool. It will help kill the chloramines.

The water will be sanitized as it comes into the pool so the “chlorine doesn’t have to work as hard,” he said. It will eliminate the chloramines, and the air quality will improve within three days.

“This is state of the art, leading edge technology to treat water before it’s in the pool or spa,” he said.

With the installation of the system being the first step in the process, Omberg said various crews will be in and out throughout the next three to four months working to alleviate the air pressure problems in the pool.

He said he is “ecstatic” the DLCCC can provide the ultraviolet treatment system and that swimmers are excited because they know the benefit the system has on water and air quality.

Full text: Detroit Lakes Community Pool Gets Ultraviolet Fix - Air Quality Was a Problem for Some Swimmers

January 2, 2008: World to Focus on Improved Sanitation in 2008
ENS-Newswire.com

NEW YORK, New York, January 2, 2008 (ENS) - A wastewater treatment project in the Russian city of Ufa is reducing the amount of raw sewage that flows into the Volga River basin. The project is part of a global push to improve sanitation this year - the International Year of Sanitation 2008.

Now, the municipal water utility UfaVodocanal is seeking to finish the work while at the same time reducing the environmental impact of the wastewater treatment process.

With this goal in mind, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, has agreed to lend the utility 500 million roubles (US $20.4 million) over the next 13 years so that it can invest in cleaner and more energy efficient technology.

The loan will enable UfaVodocanal to treat sewage with ultraviolet disinfection technology and purchase methane tanks. These tanks will capture biological gas from the sewage and the gas will be burned off to produce heat for UfaVodocanal's own use.

"The ultraviolet technology will enable the utility to significantly reduce the levels of untreated sewage discharged into the Belaya River," UfaVodocanal Director Viacheslav Semenovich Gordienko.

"This project will give a boost to the economy of the city and is key in improving environmental standards," said Ufa Mayor Pavel Rurikovich Kachkaev.

...

The International Year of Sanitation 2008 was established by the UN General Assembly in December 2006 to accelerate progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the proportion of people living without access to improved sanitation by 2015.

A World Health Organization, report issued Tuesday finds that while coverage has been advancing in many countries, recent estimates consistently show the sanitation component of the MDG sanitation target to be off-track, with "a projected shortfall of 550 million people in 2015 from target achievement."

The estimated total spending, excluding program costs, required in developing countries to meet the sanitation component of the MDG target is US$ 142 billion, the World Health Organization report calculates. This translates to per-capita spending of US$ 28 for sanitation.

Annually, this translates to roughly US$ 4 billion for water supply and US$ 14 for sanitation, an annual combined total of US$ 18 billion.

Their results compare with previous estimates of the annual investment costs of increasing coverage to meet the water and sanitation MDG target, which have been variously estimated at US$ 9 billion, US$ 11.3 billion, US$ 18 billion and US$ 30 billion.

"Given the lack of up-to-date data on actual combined spending by governments and households on water supply and sanitation in developing countries, it is not possible to estimate the current financing gap at the global level," according to authors Guy Hutton of the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Jamie Bartram of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Improved sanitation includes clean, safe toilets, wastewater management and hygiene promotion, all of which prevent the transfer of pathogens in human waste. When not treated safely, this waste adversely impacts health and impedes social and economic development.

The International Year of Sanitation will include major regional conferences on sanitation to share best practices and help accelerate progress, including those that focus on school sanitation.

It will also help encourage public and private partnerships, to help tap into the comparative strengths of each sector, advocate and raise awareness on sanitation, leverage additional funding, and develop country-level plans of action.

Many activities and events are planned both inside and outside the United Nations for Sanitation and Hygiene Week March 15 to 21 and World Water Day on March 22.

Full text: World to Focus on Improved Sanitation in 2008

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December 3, 2007: Halo Technologies Introduces The World's Only Germ-Killing Vacuum
PRNewswire

The Halo™ UV-ST Ultraviolet Vacuum Uses Ultraviolet Light and HEPA Filtration to Attack Unseen Household Microbes Without Harsh Chemicals

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Halo UV-ST is a new chemical-free vacuum — the only one of its kind — that combines powerful pick-up and ultraviolet technology to clean dirt and kill germs that lurk and thrive in carpets, including dust mites, molds, viruses and bacteria, even MRSA.

Carpets — which are rarely, if ever, disinfected — cover more than 70 percent of floor space in homes and contain the highest concentration of invisible germs and allergens. A typical carpet harbors more than 100,000 dust mites per square yard; these dust mites are the number one indoor cause of allergies. Ultraviolet light in the "C" spectrum (UV-C) disables the DNA of these household pests, destroying their ability to multiply. The Halo UV-ST contains a UV-C bulb chamber at the bottom of the unit. Activating the ultraviolet technology while running the vacuum over carpets, instantly kills germs living between the fibers.

Ultraviolet light technology has been used for more than 60 years to purify drinking water and sterilize operating rooms and medical instruments. Independent researchers have tested and proven the efficacy of the germ-killing benefits in the Halo UV-ST.

"The Halo UV-ST is more than a high-performing traditional vacuum cleaner; it's the next generation in home cleaning. We've all disinfected other areas of our home for years. Now our Halo Ultraviolet Vacuums allow you to achieve that same level of clean in your carpeting without any extra effort and without using any harmful chemicals," said Ken Garcia, CEO of Halo Technologies, Inc. "This product will change the lives of allergy and asthma sufferers, parents with young children, pet owners and anyone that wants a cleaner, greener home."

The Halo HEPA filter provides the highest level of air filtration available and is comparable to the quality level used by the military in fighter planes. The new soft-top model is equipped with special features that optimize the vacuum's breakthrough technology, including: versatile attachments for easy access to hard-to-reach places, an extra-long 31-foot power cord, and a height adjuster to accommodate various surfaces, including tile and wood. The UV-ST has a 14-inch cleaning path and two powerful motors, yet it only weighs 16.8 pounds.

Full text: Halo Technologies Introduces The World's Only Germ-Killing Vacuum

November 12, 2007: Clean Air in the Arctic Circle thanks to ozone-generating UV Lamps
openPR.com

Ozone Generating Lamps Eliminate Odours in Finnish, Santa Theme Park

Every year in the time running up to Christmas, Santa is visited by many children and their parents in the Santa Park theme park close to the Arctic Circle in Lapland/Finland. Santa Park is housed in a mountain and, in a large central hall, the visitors are entertained by a number of activities. For example, elves learn in a school how to prepare and pack the children’s presents; in an ice gallery, visitors can marvel at many animals sculpted in ice; and, being Finland, there is naturally an ice bar, where cocktails can be enjoyed in ice glasses at the bar on an imaginary beach.

The Santa Park is open only once a year during advent. During the rest of the year the site is shut. Consequently, moulds are formed as well as associated unpleasant smells and these are controlled by means of UV lamps from Heraeus Noblelight.

The physical method UV radiation is an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical treatments. By using special Heraeus UV lamps ozone is generated from the oxygen in the environmental air. To do this, the emitted wavelength of 185nm is used. The longer wavelength of 254 nm photolysis the ozone to excited oxygen, which oxidises the long chain molecules.

The company BonAir manufactures and sells ozone-generating equipment in Finland and this equipment is fitted out with UV lamps from Heraeus Noblelight. The systems are fitted with four ozone-generating, U-shaped 120 Watt lamps. The capacity of the large BonAir Ozonator allows the generation of 64 grammes of ozone per hour.

This system has been used to treat the 35,000 cubic metres of air in the tunnel system and the main hall at Santa Park, which has been treated two and half days. In addition, three smaller pieces of equipment are also used with a capacity of 3.2 gramme of ozone per hour. Finally, 300 metre long channels of the air conditioning system were supplied with ozone-containing air for six hours.

“The end result was fantastic. I destroyed all the mould and at the end there was no trace of the previous bad smells!” commented Raimo Vartiainen, managing director of BonAir in Finland. When the project was finished, Santa himself thanked Raimo Vartiainen and his wife personally.

Following on from the development of UV lamp technology by Richard Küch in 1904, Heraeus Noblelight can look back on over 100 years experience in the development, production and application of UV lamps. Through innovations such as Longlife technology Heraeus continues to set milestones in lamp technology to increase the productivity of industrial processes. Heraeus Noblelight is the original equipment manufacturer and preferred partner of system builders providing equipment for the disinfection of water, air and surfaces, as well as for industrial photochemical processes and oxidation.

Full text: Clean Air in the Arctic Circle thanks to ozone-generating UV Lamps

November 3, 2007: Alternatives to the bottled water
LatinAmericaPress.org

In 2006, bottled water sales worldwide totaled 164 billion liters, 7 percent of which was sold in Latin America, and half of that in Mexico.

One alternative to bottled water is solar water disinfection, a clean and cheap technology used to disinfect water in the home, created by Lebanese scientist Aftim Acra. The treatment consists of filling transparent plastic water bottles and leaving them out in the sun.

The heat and ultraviolet rays disinfect the water in six hours of sunlight or two full days under cloud cover, after which the water is safe for consumption.

The SODIS Foundation, named after the initials for this technology and based in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is promoting this system also in Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru.

Full text: Alternatives to the bottled water

October 05, 2007: Ultraviolet Lighting During Orthopedic Surgery and the Rate of Infection
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). 2007;89:1935-1940.
doi:10.2106/JBJS.F.01037
© 2007 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Merrill A. Ritter, MD*, Emily M. Olberding, BS* and Robert A. Malinzak, MD*

* The Center for Hip and Knee Surgery, St. Francis Hospital—Mooresville, 1199 Hadley Road, Mooresville, IN 46158. E-mail address for M.A. Ritter: marittermd@yahoo.com

Investigation performed at the Center for Hip and Knee Surgery, St. Francis Hospital—Mooresville, Mooresville, Indiana

Disclosure: The authors did not receive any outside funding or grants in support of their research for or preparation of this work. Neither they nor a member of their immediate families received payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, division, center, clinical practice, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors, or a member of their immediate families, are affiliated or associated.
_____________________________________

Background: Ultraviolet lighting is an alternative to laminar airflow in the operating room that may be as effective for lowering the number of environmental bacteria and possibly lowering infection rates by killing the bacteria rather than simply reducing the number at the operative site. The purpose of the present study was to compare the infection rates following joint replacement procedures performed by one orthopaedic surgeon with and without the use of ultraviolet lighting.

Methods: From July 1986 to July 2005, one surgeon performed 5,980 total joint replacements at one facility. In September 1991, ultraviolet lighting was installed in the operating rooms. All procedures that were performed before the installation of the ultraviolet lighting utilized horizontal laminar airflow, whereas all procedures that were performed after that date utilized ultraviolet lighting without laminar airflow. Factors associated with the rate of infection were analyzed.

Results: Over a nineteen-year period, forty-seven infections occurred following 5,980 joint replacements. The infection rate without ultraviolet lighting (and with laminar airflow) was 1.77%, and the infection rate with ultraviolet lighting was 0.57% (p < 0.0001). The odds of infection were 3.1 times greater for procedures performed without ultraviolet lighting (and with laminar airflow) as compared with those performed with only ultraviolet lighting (p < 0.0001). The infection rate associated with total hip replacement decreased from 1.03% to 0.72% (p = 0.5407), and the infection rate associated with total knee replacement decreased from 2.20% to 0.50% (p < 0.0001). Revision surgery, previous infection, age, total body mass index, use of cement, disease, and diagnosis were not associated with an elevated infection rate.

Conclusion: When appropriate safety precautions are taken, ultraviolet lighting appears to be an effective way to lower the risk of infection in the operating room during total joint replacement surgery.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Reposted with permission from Rights Department, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
Copyright 2007 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.

Full text: Ultraviolet Lighting During Orthopedic Surgery and the Rate of Infection