UVOX Redox: The sun as a shining example

The sun as a shining example

Barbara Berson, CEO and owner of Wapure International GmbH/UVOX Redox® technology, explains the concept of the UVOX Redox® system passionately. She supports her story with illustrations and graphs held up to the camera on her laptop—an advanced course in water purification using ultraviolet light. As a listener, it is not hard to share her enthusiasm. “It is actually the most natural form of water purification—through the reproduction of sunlight.” Portrait of a relatively new Water Alliance member.

Berson is Dutch, but worked in Germany for a long time. At the beginning of this year, together with Paul Poels, she founded UVOX Benelux BV in Linne [in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands] to regain a foothold in her native country and to supply turnkey systems. The UVOX Redox® system has two patents: the UVOX Redox® basic patent and the UVOX Redox® flexbank patent for public drinking water and communal wastewater. The latter is now being further developed and produced with UVOX Benelux BV. Berson’s father, Johannes Berson, also has a key role in that development. Berson sees numerous advantages in moving to the Netherlands. “The collaborations we enter into with and through the Water Alliance also have a lot of added value. We cannot do it alone. The Netherlands is a country of water, and the Water Alliance has an incredible amount of knowledge. The Dutch are enterprising and often dare to think a step further. The Water Alliance enables us to engage in an open dialogue and optimize solutions together.”

the uvox redox® system

Three processes in one

UV light has long been used to purify water, but not in the way the UVOX Redox® system does it. A single UVOX lamp performs three cleaning processes. In the air phase, air is irradiated with UV light with a wavelength of 185 nanometers (nm). In this process, oxygen is converted into ozone. Ozone oxidizes, rendering viruses, algae and bacteria harmless. As the UVOX lamp also emits UV light with a higher wavelength of 254 nanometers, two additional cleaning processes take place in the water phase. UV disinfection takes place and the created ozone is converted into hydroxil radicals. In technical terms, that conversion is called the advanced oxidation process (A.O.P.), which alleviates the need for an ozone filter. An even greater benefit is that the resulting free radicals tackle micro-pollution and even resistant microorganisms in the water.

Think of the degradation of dangerous substances in water, such as pesticides, drug residues, hormones, etc. “All sorts of things end up in our water—residues from contraceptives and painkillers, but also things like sunscreen in swimming water. The UVOX Redox® system deals with all of that. We also recently had a study done on what our system does to the SARS-CoV-2 virus (coronavirus), and it destroys 99.99% of the virus.”

The Dutch are enterprising and often Dare to think a step further’

Highly versatile

UVOX Redox® systems do not use any chemicals, which makes them very durable. They do not change the pH value of the water and the systems only require minimal maintenance. “Our products are highly versatile. They are perfect for public pools, because they virtually eliminate the need for chlorine to keep the water clean. This allows the water to be reused. UVOX Redox® can also be used in the industrial sector for process water, drinking water and communal waste water, Legionella prevention, in aquaria, or water for washing or irrigating crops. There are also applications in air purification, such as CO2 reduction around intensive livestock farms.”

Drinking water is a basic right

but her drive runs much deeper than that. “Our blue planet is incredibly vulnerable and we have to do everything we can to protect it. Water pollution and scarcity problems are arising all over the world. We want to contribute to solutions. Access to clean drinking water should be a basic right for every person. UVOX Redox® makes water purification easy, so we can create possibilities for the use of cleaner drinking water in countries where drinking water is scarce. Our products can be used for air purification to help combat CO2 emissions and can also be used to combat micro-pollution that poses a threat to public health. If we can contribute even a little bit to a better, more sustainable world with UVOX Redox®, we are happy to do so.”