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

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, comprising measuring the effect of the monochromatic or polychromatic light on a dosimetric solution in a layer of an optical path-length sufficiently thin to absorb only a fraction of the incident light, wherein said dosimetric solution matches the absorbance coefficient of the biological fluid at the photoinactivating wavelengths used, the absorbance coefficient and the viscosity of the biological fluid, the absorbance coefficient and turbidity of the biological fluid, or the absorbance coefficient, viscosity, and turbidity of the biological fluid and wherein said dosimetric solution is not said biological fluid.