Friday, October 8, 2010

SteriPEN - UV Water Purifier

There are amazing technological advances for the everyday casual international backpacker like Mari and myself. Yesterday, I purchased this SteriPEN adventurer handheld ultraviolet water purifier from REI. This compact uv penlight replaces the older, more bulky pump system water purifiers I remember as a kid backpacking with my father in the North Cascades. This "light saber" will come in handy as we make our way through develping nations with water systems containing less quality control measures than our stomaches are used to (or can handle).
Ultraviolet light is being used in many wastewater and drinking water facilities because it works quite well against microbiological species like bacteria, viruses and protozoa. It doesnt necessarily kill the microbes, instead what it does is disrupts the DNA of the microbes - basically sterilizing them - so they can no longer reproduce. This limit on their exponential growth potential creates a "clean", more drinkable water.

Hopefully this will help fend off potential boutes of diarrhea, dysentary, influenza, cholera, giardia, cryptosporidium and other waterborne illnesses of the same ilk.

Now, I have to open the package, install the batteries and make sure the unit works.