UVGI devices can produce strong enough UV-C light in circulating air or water systems to make them inhospitable environments to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds and other pathogens.
UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water.
The application of UVGI to disinfection has been an accepted practice since the mid-20th century. It has been used primarily in medical sanitation and sterile work facilities. Increasingly it has been employed to sterilize drinking and wastewater, as the holding facilities are enclosed and can be circulated to ensure a higher exposure to the UV. In recent years UVGI has found renewed application in air purifiers

1. “Word of the Month: Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)” (PDF). NIOSH eNews. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
2. “SOLVE II Science Implementation”. NASA. 2003. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2015.