How Does A UV Water Filter System Work?
It is true that the average consumer of ultraviolet (UV) water filtration system technology very rarely has the science background to fully understand how a light source in a pipe can protect a water supply from dangerous microorganisms. This sometimes leads to frustration for the consumer, and in many cases is further exacerbated by faulty information provided by ill-informed salespeople. Many times the outcome of this frustration is inaction of the consumer, which is unfortunate, because a UV water filter system can be an extremely effective and relatively inexpensive way to purify drinking water.
UV-C is a very damaging and very powerful form of ultraviolet light; so much so that when a living cell is exposed to it, the light penetrates through the cell and damages the DNA of the organism. DNA is responsible for orchestrating activities within all living cells and all cells must have DNA that is intact in order to function properly. DNA’s structure is quite similar to a ladder that has been twisted from both ends resulting in a spiral appearance and is sometimes referred to as a double helix, since all DNA is composed of two molecules. UV water filter systems use this to their advantage.
The end result of cell reproduction is two identical cells, each with a functional copy of DNA as well as all of the other necessary structures for the cell to function. This is true for human cells as well as for plants, animals and the bacteria and viruses that can sometimes be found in drinking water. For DNA to replicate, a special protein travels its length and splits it in half. Using the ladder analogy, this protein then travels down the ladder and splits each rung along the way. What results are two separate molecules that each resembles a side of a ladder. During normal DNA replication, the protein travels down the ladder and as each rung is split, each side is immediately rebuilt. What results are two identical strands of DNA; one for each of the resulting cells.
Ultraviolet-C light is able to penetrate through cells and attack the DNA inside them. UV-C actually fuses some of the rungs of the ladder together. After the DNA of a cell has been exposed to enough ultraviolet-C light and some of the DNA rungs have been fused, the protein that is responsible for splitting the DNA cannot do its job. As it encounters a fused rung, it just stops completely, and the replication stops along with it. This keeps the cell from being able to reproduce. Therefore, a viral or bacterial cell that can’t reproduce is also not capable of causing an infection. To say it another way, if a viral or bacterial cell cannot reproduce, then it can’t make anyone sick.
In order to purify different water flow rates and because of differing water conditions, UV filter manufacturers produce different sized models of UV water filter systems. A longer ultraviolet lamp is required for higher flow rates. This is just to ensure that an adequate ultraviolet dose is being applied. Day By Day Car Insurance . A shorter flow rate requires a shorter ultraviolet lamp, since the water being treated stays in the filter system for a longer period of time.
Darren has written several product reviews for Faucet Water Filter Reviews. You might be interested in his PUR Flavor Options review.
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Many times the articles I find are so difficult to understand, it seems I need a college degree just to understand the writer. Thanks for making the information on your page so easy to understand.