This study examined the effect of ultraviolet (UV) application on bacterial disinfection in a commercialized humidifier using ultrasonic wave (UW). To accurately examine disinfection kinetics in tap-water condition, tap-water was sterilized using a filter, and then inoculated with pure cultures of E. coli and P. putida with known viable counts. The disinfection kinetic characteristics were experimentally compared when UV alone, UW alone, and UW+UV together were applied in disinfecting the added bacteria in the commercialized humidifier. When UV alone was applied, bacterial disinfection kinetics followed a first-order decay reaction, and showed an approximately 10-time weaker disinfection compared to the typical UV disinfection in water treatment or wastewater treatment. When UW alone was applied, bacterial disinfection kinetics followed a second-order decay reaction with a low disinfection rate constant of 0.0002 min-1(CFU/mL)-1. When UV and UW were applied together, however and interestingly, the disinfection rate constant (0.0211 min-1(CFU/mL)-1) was approximately 100 times increased than that for the UW alone case. These results revealed that the co-use of UV and UW can provide synergistic effect on bacterial disinfection in a tap-water condition in household humidifiers.

Traditionally, ultraviolet (UV) has been used for treating the pressure sore and skin wound. The effects of UVA and UVB radiation on disinfection have been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of UVC radiation on disinfection of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium in vitro. Three bacterium were radiated by UVC (250 nm, 20 seconds) and incubated at for 24 hours at the agar culture medium. Kill rates of all three bacterium were 99.9%. UVC radiated on three kinds of bacterium for 30 or 60 seconds. Kill rates were 99.9% both 30 and 60 seconds. This data suggests that UV light at 250 nm could be a useful method to minimize infection and shorten healing time in pressure sore and skin wound condition.