This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop ultraviolet light emitting diode (LED) based point-of-use water and wastewater sterilization reactors. UV radiation has been shown to be one of the most effective methods for purification/sterilization of microbiological organisms in drinking water and wastewater. A significant part of a water treatment system is a microbiological disinfection unit for removal of bacteria, viral and protozoan cyst. The traditional approach to the problem is use of chemicals, such as chlorine and iodine. Nevertheless, there are unavoidable drawbacks of chemical processes: presence of disinfection by-products (DBP), need of pH control for effective disinfection and lack of disinfection for specific microorganisms such as Entaemoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia. Current UV-based purification/sterilization systems rely on low and medium pressure mercury (Hg) containing lamps that emit either monochromatic 254 nm radiation or broad spectrum radiation ranging from 220 nm to 370 nm, respectively. It is proposed to develop small, inexpensive, portable, point-of-use UV light emitting diode (LED) based purification/sterilization systems.
The primary market segment addressed through the work that will be performed under this Phase I effort is the germicidal sterilization and purification of water/wastewater for point-of-use applications. Ultraviolet purification technology can be an effective means to fight ALL microorganisms in water/wastewater treatment systems. Deep UV LEDs represent a new light source with input power requirements and volume production costs much lower than any current UV radiation source.
