A handheld new battery and ultraviolet lamp powered device called the SteriPen will sterilize a glass-sized amount of water for you. The SteriPen will clean 32 ounces of water in 90 seconds. The New York Timessays the device has a liquid crystal display that makes the countdown to sterilization easier.
The wand can clean up a quart of water that is clear - but could harbor stomach-wrecking microorganisms - in 90 seconds. The high-frequency light damages the DNA of bacteria, viruses and protozoa in the water like giardia and cryptosporidium so they can't reproduce and create havoc.
To make the disinfection process easier for users to monitor, one new device on the market, the SteriPen JourneyLCD($129.95) has a liquid-crystal display that shows a countdown during purification (48 seconds for 16 ounces, 90 seconds for 32 ounces) and a smiley face at the end to signal that the job is done.
The device, which weighs a bit less than 5 ounces, including two disposable batteries, will be sold at camping, travel and other stores beginning in April and online at rei.com and other sites, said Edward A. Volkwein, the president of Hydro-Photon, the company in Blue Hill, Me., that makes the unit.
You can read some reviews and blog comments about the device here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Most of the comments are enthusiastic about the water cleaning wand. The device does sounds great for outdoor use but it does have some limitations. You should use it only on clear water because it cannot thoroughly clean dirty looking water or water with objects in it.
If the water is tea-colored, has an orange or yellow tinge, or has objects like leaves in it, ultraviolet devices will not work well, as particulates in the water can absorb the light meant to destroy the harmful organisms, he said.
For example, "you wouldn't want to use these devices to disinfect apple cider," he said. "The light wouldn't penetrate."
There is a video demonstration of the device here on the SteriPen website. The Times article says the SteriPen will be out in April. It has a retail price of $129.95.
A handheld new battery and ultraviolet lamp powered device called the SteriPen will sterilize a glass-sized amount of water for you. The SteriPen will clean 32 ounces of water in 90 seconds. The New York Times 