Can ultrafiltration water purifiers effectively kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms in water

Ultrafiltration water purifier is a common device in modern household and commercial water treatment. With its efficient filtering performance, it has become the water purification method chosen by many consumers. The main working principle is to remove fine particles, suspended matter, harmful substances, etc. in water through ultrafiltration membrane, so as to achieve the effect of purifying water quality. The pore size of ultrafiltration membrane is usually at the nanometer level, which can effectively block most tiny particles and substances. Ultrafiltration membrane has a certain selectivity when filtering substances in water. It can effectively remove large particle pollutants such as suspended matter, silt, rust, colloidal substances, and some larger organic molecules in water. The pore size of ultrafiltration membrane is usually smaller than the size of bacteria, so it can prevent most bacteria and pathogens in water from passing through the filter layer of the membrane. For those areas with poor water quality, ultrafiltration water purifier can improve the cleanliness of water and reduce the presence of harmful substances in water. Although ultrafiltration water purifier can filter out most bacteria and microorganisms, the filtering effect of ultrafiltration membrane may not be complete for some smaller pathogens, such as viruses. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria, so they may enter the water purifier through the pores of the ultrafiltration membrane, especially when the pore size of the membrane is large or there is a certain amount of contamination. The ultrafiltration membrane itself does not have the function of killing viruses. It can only reduce the number of viruses by physical interception, but it cannot directly kill viruses like some water purification technologies (such as ultraviolet sterilization or chemical disinfection).
To improve the ability of ultrafiltration water purifiers to kill bacteria and viruses, some advanced ultrafiltration water purifier designs often combine other water purification technologies. For example, some models of water purifiers will add ultraviolet sterilization lamps, activated carbon filters or ozone generators, which can effectively kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms in water. Ultraviolet sterilization technology can directly destroy the DNA or RNA of bacteria and viruses through high-intensity ultraviolet light irradiation to achieve a killing effect. Activated carbon has an adsorption function that can absorb harmful chemicals and some microorganisms in water, thereby further improving the degree of water purification.
The cleaning and maintenance of ultrafiltration water purifiers also have an important impact on their performance. Over time, the ultrafiltration membrane will gradually be blocked by impurities and pollutants in the water, resulting in a decrease in filtration effect. At this time, bacteria and viruses may pass through the filter membrane more easily. Regular cleaning and replacement of ultrafiltration membranes is essential to maintain their good filtration effect. Keeping the equipment clean can not only improve filtration efficiency, but also effectively prevent microorganisms caused by membrane contamination from entering the water purifier through the membrane layer.