Viruses and Water: Problems, Detection, and Control

1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dizer ◽  
J. Dürkop ◽  
A. Grohmann ◽  
H. Kopecka ◽  
J. M. López-Pila
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Secondary Effluent ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Water Problems

Secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants contains a high number of viruses and other pathogens, which pose a health risk to the population, (especially when receiv ng waters are used for bathing and swimming, or for growing shellfish. In areas with a high density of population, where drinking water supply is dependent on surface waters and contaminated rivers are the primary source of drinking water, failure of the filtration or of the disinfection step, or of any other “barriers” supposed to warrant safe potable water, will increase the risk of health hazard for the consumer. We have compared the efficiency of viral elimination in secondary effluent by flocculation, uv rradiation and membrane filtration taking naturally occurring, or additionally seeded f2 phages, as indicator for viruses. Flocculation decreased the number of phages present in secondary effluent by more than two logs. If combined with uv irradiation, the elimination reached five additional logs. Membrane filtration eliminated essentially all naturally occurring phages. Improvement of the quality of surface waters calls for a refinement of detection methods for viruses. We have found that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) might be used for detecting viruses in surface waters.

scholarly journals Detection of enteric viruses in Hungarian surface waters: first steps towards environmental surveillance

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 772-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Kern ◽  
Mihaly Kadar ◽  
Katalin Szomor ◽  
György Berencsi ◽  
Beatrix Kapusinszky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Virus Detection ◽  
Water Concentration ◽  
Water Quality Monitoring ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Bathing Waters

Waterborne viruses infect the human population through the consumption of contaminated drinking water and by direct contact with polluted surface water during recreational activity. Although water related viral outbreaks are a major public health concern, virus detection is not a part of the water quality monitoring scheme, mainly due to the absence of routine analysis methods. In the present study, we implemented various approaches for water concentration and virus detection, and tested on Hungarian surface water samples. Eighty samples were collected from 16 sites in Hungary. Samples were concentrated by glass wool and membrane filtration. Human adenoviruses were detected by conventional and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods in 56% (45/80) of the samples; viral titers ranged from 8.60 × 101 to 3.91 × 104 genome copies per liter. Noroviruses and enteroviruses were detected in 30% (24/80) and 13% (10/80) of samples, respectively, by reverse transcription-PCR assays. Results indicate a high prevalence of viral human pathogens in surface waters, suggesting the necessity of a detailed survey focusing on the quality of natural bathing waters and drinking water sources.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa in bottled drinking water in Sri Lanka: a potential health hazard

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1045-1050
Author(s):  
A. T. Herath ◽  
C. L. Abayasekara ◽  
Rohana Chandrajith ◽  
N. K. B. Adikaram
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Bottled Water ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Bottled Drinking Water

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a food- and water-borne opportunistic pathogen, constitutes a health risk mostly to immunocompromised patients, and also affects the taste, odour and turbidity of potable water. In order to detect P. aeruginosa in bottled water in Sri Lanka, 36 bottled water brands were collected randomly from retail and supermarkets island wide. P. aeruginosa was detected by the membrane filtration technique, using cetrimide agar supplemented with nalidixic acid. The isolates were subjected to confirmatory tests, viz: ISO 16266:2006 methods and growth at 4 and 42°C, and API 20NE followed by DNA sequencing. Presumptive isolates of P. aeruginosa were observed on cetrimide agar in 50% of brands. Among these isolates, ISO procedures confirmed 58% as P. aeruginosa. Thirty-nine randomly selected isolates were identified as P. aeruginosa by the API 20NE, three of which were further confirmed by DNA sequencing. The presence of P. aeruginosa in bottled water raises health concerns since P. aeruginosa is an indicator of inferior water quality. Therefore, strict regulations and regular monitoring of bottling plants are recommended in order to supply safe and acceptable bottled drinking water to the Sri Lankan market.

The presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in surface waters and effluents in Israel

1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 381-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Zuckerman ◽  
D. Gold ◽  
G. Shelef ◽  
R. Armon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Water Reservoir ◽  
Domestic Sewage ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Drinking Water Reservoir

During a period of 9 months (May 1995-January 1996), various environmental sources were investigated for the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Israel. Out of 15 samples from five streams, 12 were positive for Cryptosporidium (80%) with an average concentration of 0.04–1.9 oocysts/l and 8 were positive for Giardia (53.3%) with 0.05–0.78 cysts/l. Two springs were also tested and found positive for Cryptosporidium and (0.54 oocysts/l) only. The main drinking water reservoir of Israel, Lake Kineret, was also sampled 6 times at two sites. Cryptosporidium was isolated in 4/6 samples (66.6%) at an average concentration of 0.3–1.09 oocysts/l while Giardia was present in 5/6 samples (83.3%), 0.135–16.2 cysts/l. Drinking water entering a filtration pilot plant was also tested and found positive for Cryptosporidium in 23/35 samples (0–317 oocysts/l) and 8/35 for Giardia (0–16.7 cysts/l). In order to evaluate some potential inputs of contamination of the drinking water sources, two possible contributors were tested: domestic sewage and cowshed effluents. In sewage effluents, 3/3 samples were positive for both Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The oocysts and cysts were present at 8.3–8.05/l and 5–27.3/l respectively. In cowshed effluents, 1/6 samples was positive for Cryptosporidium at a high concentration (3,630 oocysts/l) but no Giardia cysts were found. The levels of Cryptosporidium and Giardia oocysts and cysts isolated from these environmental samples may present a public health hazard although no major outbreaks have so far been reported in Israel.

Fluoride: A naturally-occurring health hazard in drinking-water resources of Northern Thailand

2016 ◽  
Vol 545-546 ◽  
pp. 266-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Joon Chuah ◽  
Han Rui Lye ◽  
Alan D. Ziegler ◽  
Spencer H. Wood ◽  
Chatpat Kongpun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Northern Thailand ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Drinking Water Resources

scholarly journals Identification of Microplastics in Conventional Drinking Water Treatment Plants in Tehran, Iran

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danial Adib ◽  
Roya Mafigholami ◽  
Hossein Tabeshkia
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
High Importance ◽  
Water Treatment Plants ◽  
Emerging Pollutant ◽  
Average Abundance ◽  
The City

Abstract The presence of microplastics (MPs), as an emerging pollutant is a growing concern in different water resources. These particles are recognized as less than 5 mm in size. Most of the studies have been carried out in surface waters and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), but there are few studies on MPs in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). This study investigates these particles in three different conventional DWTPs in the city of Tehran, Iran and aims to analyze these particles down to the size of 1 µm. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was utilized in this study to quantitatively analyze MPs. Accordingly, the average abundance of MPs in raw and treated water samples varied from 1996±268 to 2808±80 MPs L-1 and 971±103 to 1401±86 MPs L-1, respectively. While particles smaller than 10 µm comprised 65-87% of MPs. Moreover, µ-Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize MPs. As the results, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene (PE) were the most abundant identified polymers among MPs comprising more than 53% of particles. Additionally, MPs were categorized as fibers, fragments and spheres. This study fills the knowledge gap of MPs presence in Tehran DWTPs which is of high importance since they supply drinking water for more than 8 million people and investigates the performance of conventional DWTPs in removing MPs.

Habitat Association of Klebsiella Species

1985 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan T. Bagley
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Industrial Effluents ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Habitat Association ◽  
Klebsiella Species ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Polluted Waters

AbstractThe genus Klebsiella is seemingly ubiquitous in terms of its habitat associations. Klebsiella is a common opportunistic pathogen for humans and other animals, as well as being resident or transient flora (particularly in the gastrointestinal tract). Other habitats include sewage, drinking water, soils, surface waters, industrial effluents, and vegetation. Until recently, almost all these Klebsiella have been identified as one species, ie, K. pneumoniae. However, phenotypic and genotypic studies have shown that “K. pneumoniae” actually consists of at least four species, all with distinct characteristics and habitats. General habitat associations of Klebsiella species are as follows: K. pneumoniae—humans, animals, sewage, and polluted waters and soils; K. oxytoca—frequent association with most habitats; K. terrigena— unpolluted surface waters and soils, drinking water, and vegetation; K. planticola—sewage, polluted surface waters, soils, and vegetation; and K. ozaenae/K. rhinoscleromatis—infrequently detected (primarily with humans).

A study about the use of chemicals in conventional tertiary treatment. Performances comparison of three municipal wastewater treatment plants and pilot plant experiences

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Iborra-Clar ◽  
J.A. Mendoza-Roca ◽  
A. Bes-Pií ◽  
J.J. Morenilla-Martínez ◽  
I. Bernácer-Bonora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Secondary Effluent ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Reclamation ◽  
Valencian Region ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

Rainfall diminution in the last years has entailed water scarcity in plenty of European regions, especially in Mediterranean areas. As a consequence, regional water authorities have enhanced wastewater reclamation and reuse. Thus, the implementation of tertiary treatments has become of paramount importance in the municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) of Valencian Region (Spain). Conventional tertiary treatments consist of a physico-chemical treatment of the secondary effluent followed by sand filtration and UV radiation. However, the addition of coagulants and flocculants sometimes does not contribute significantly in the final water quality. In this work, results of 20-months operation of three WWTP in Valencian Region with different tertiary treatments (two without chemicals addition and another with chemicals addition) are discussed. Besides, experiments with a 2 m3/h pilot plant located in the WWTP Quart-Benager in Valencia were performed in order to evaluate with the same secondary effluent the effect of the chemicals addition on the final water quality. Results showed that the addition of chemicals did not improve the final water quality significantly. These results were observed both comparing the three full scale plants and in the pilot plant operation.

Coagulation/flocculation/ultrafiltration for natural organic matter removal in drinking water production

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 215-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.R. Costa ◽  
M.N. de Pinho
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Natural Organic Matter ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Cellulose Acetate Membranes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Drinking Water Production

Membrane fouling by natural organic matter (NOM), namely by humic substances (HS), is a major problem in water treatment for drinking water production using membrane processes. Membrane fouling is dependent on membrane morphology like pore size and on water characteristics namely NOM nature. This work addresses the evaluation of the efficiency of ultrafiltration (UF) and Coagulation/Flocculation/UF performance in terms of permeation fluxes and HS removal, of the water from Tagus River (Valada). The operation of coagulation with chitosan was evaluated as a pretreatment for minimization of membrane fouling. UF experiments were carried out in flat cells of 13.2×10−4 m2 of membrane surface area and at transmembrane pressures from 1 to 4 bar. Five cellulose acetate membranes were laboratory made to cover a wide range of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO): 2,300, 11,000, 28,000, 60,000 and 75,000 Da. Severe fouling is observed for the membranes with the highest cut-off. In the permeation experiments of raw water, coagulation prior to membrane filtration led to a significant improvement of the permeation performance of the membranes with the highest MWCO due to the particles and colloidal matter removal.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document