Methods for the inactivation of mircroorganisms in biological fluids, flow through reactors and methods of controlling the light sum dose to effectively inactivate microorganisms in batch reactors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining an effective dose of monochromatic or polychromatic light from one or more light sources to inactivate microorganisms present in a biological fluid, preferably a non-transparent fluid. Moreover, there is provided a method for the inactivation of microorganism in a biological fluid in a flow-through-reactor. Moreover, the invention advantageously provides a flow-through-reactor with one or more thermostated light sources. The invention further provides a method of controlling the light sum dose of monochromatic or polychromatic light emitted from one or more light sources to effectively inactivate microorganisms present in a biological fluid in a batch reactor.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A UV-photoinactivation reactor, in which one or more radiation sources are encased by an envelope thermostat, through which envelope thermostat a thermostated and essentially light-transparent liquid is flowing to remove heat from the lamp, thereby ensuring an essentially constant lamp intensity. 
     
     
         23 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A UV-photoinactivation reactor comprising:
 a tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid to be irradiated;   a radiation source in optical communication with the tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid;   a first thermostating tube encasing the radiation source; and   a first thermostating chamber formed between the radiation source and the first thermostating tube, the first thermostating chamber configured to contain a thermostating liquid,   wherein radiation emitted from the radiation source passes through the first thermostating chamber prior to entering the tube or vessel configured to contain the biological fluid to be irradiated.   
     
     
         29 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , wherein the reactor is a flow-through photoinactivating reactor. 
     
     
         30 . The flow-through-reactor of  claim 29 , wherein the flow-through-reactor is a reactor type selected from the group consisting of a gravity-driven thin-film-generating type, a turbulent actively mixed flow type, a centrifugally driven thin-film-generating type, a coiled tube type, a baffled tube type, a motionless mixer tube type, a turbulent statically mixed flow-tube type, a laminar-tube type, and a turbulent flow-tube type. 
     
     
         31 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , wherein the reactor is a batch photoinactivating reactor. 
     
     
         32 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , wherein the tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid is a tube coiled around at least a portion of the first thermostating tube. 
     
     
         33 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , wherein the tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid is a vessel, and the first thermostating tube is configured to be submerged in the biological fluid. 
     
     
         34 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , wherein the radiation source is configured to emit ultraviolet subtype C (UV-C) radiation. 
     
     
         35 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , comprising a plurality of radiation sources, each respective radiation source in the plurality of radiation sources encased by a corresponding first thermostating tube such that a corresponding first thermostating chamber is formed between the respective radiation source and the corresponding first thermostating tube, wherein the first thermostating chamber is configured to contain a thermostating liquid. 
     
     
         36 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 28 , wherein the first thermostating tube is made of a UV radiation-transparent or radiation-translucent material. 
     
     
         37 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 36 , wherein the substantially UV radiation-transparent or radiation-translucent material is composed of a quartz glass. 
     
     
         38 . A UV-photoinactivation reactor comprising:
 a tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid to be irradiated;   an radiation source in optical communication with the tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid;   a first thermostating tube encasing the radiation source;   a first thermostating chamber formed between the radiation source and the first thermostating tube;   a second thermostating tube encasing the first thermostating tube; and   a second thermostating chamber formed between the first thermostating tube and the second thermostating tube, the second thermostating chamber configured to contain a thermostating   wherein radiation emitted from the radiation source passes through the first and second thermostating chambers prior to entering the tube or vessel configured to contain the biological fluid to be irradiated.   
     
     
         39 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the reactor is a flow-through photoinactivating reactor. 
     
     
         40 . The flow-through-reactor of  claim 39 , wherein the flow-through-reactor is a reactor type selected from the group consisting of a gravity-driven thin-film-generating type, a turbulent actively mixed flow type, a centrifugally driven thin-film-generating type, a coiled tube type, a baffled tube type, a motionless mixer tube type, a turbulent statically mixed flow-tube type, a laminar-tube type, and a turbulent flow-tube type. 
     
     
         41 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the reactor is a batch photoinactivating reactor. 
     
     
         42 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid is a tube coiled around at least a portion of the first thermostating tithe. 
     
     
         43 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the tube or vessel configured to contain a biological fluid is a vessel, and the second thermostating tube is configured to be submerged in the biological fluid. 
     
     
         44 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the radiation source is configured to emit ultraviolet subtype C (UV-C) radiation. 
     
     
         45 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the first thermostating tube is made of a UV radiation-transparent or radiation-translucent material. 
     
     
         46 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 45 , wherein the UV radiation transparent or radiation-translucent material is a quartz glass. 
     
     
         47 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the first thermostating chamber is configured to be evacuated. 
     
     
         48 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the first thermostating chamber is configured to contain a gas. 
     
     
         49 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein first thermostating tube and the second thermostating tube are concentric tubes encasing the radiation source. 
     
     
         50 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the second thermostating tube is made of a UV radiation-transparent or radiation-translucent material. 
     
     
         51 . The UV photoinactivating reactor of  claim 50 , wherein the UV radiation transparent or radiation-translucent material is a quartz glass.