Municipal water disinfection systems in some areas are not always able to meet water consumer needs, such as ensuring distributed water quality, because household water management can be a contributing factor in water re-contamination. This fact is related to the storage options that are common in places where water is scarce or is distributed over limited time periods. The aim of this study is to assess the removal capacity of a multiple-barrier water disinfection device for protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. Water samples were taken from households in Mexico City and spiked with a known amount of protozoa (Giardia cyst, Cryptosporidium oocyst), bacteria (Escherichia coli), and viruses (rotavirus, adenovirus, F-specific ribonucleic acid (FRNA) coliphage). Each inoculated sample was processed through a multiple-barrier device. The efficiency of the multiple-barrier device to remove E. coli was close to 100%, and more than 87% of Cryptosporidium oocysts and more than 98% of Giardia cysts were removed. Close to 100% of coliphages were removed, 99.6% of the adenovirus was removed, and the rotavirus was almost totally removed. An effect of site by zone was detected; this observation is important because the water characteristics could indicate the efficiency of the multiple-barrier disinfection device.
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Research Article|
October 26 2013
Removal of bacteria, protozoa and viruses through a multiple-barrier household water disinfection system
A. C. Espinosa-García;
A. C. Espinosa-García
1Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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C. Díaz-Ávalos;
C. Díaz-Ávalos
2Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas y Sistemas, UNAM, Circuito Escolar Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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R. Solano-Ortiz;
R. Solano-Ortiz
3Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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M. A. Tapia-Palacios;
M. A. Tapia-Palacios
3Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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N. Vázquez-Salvador;
N. Vázquez-Salvador
3Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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S. Espinosa-García;
S. Espinosa-García
3Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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R. E. Sarmiento-Silva;
R. E. Sarmiento-Silva
4Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, UNAM, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
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M. Mazari-Hiriart
5Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Distrito Federal, México
E-mail: [email protected]
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J Water Health (2014) 12 (1): 94–104.
Article history
Received:
May 06 2013
Accepted:
September 15 2013
Citation
A. C. Espinosa-García, C. Díaz-Ávalos, R. Solano-Ortiz, M. A. Tapia-Palacios, N. Vázquez-Salvador, S. Espinosa-García, R. E. Sarmiento-Silva, M. Mazari-Hiriart; Removal of bacteria, protozoa and viruses through a multiple-barrier household water disinfection system. J Water Health 1 March 2014; 12 (1): 94–104. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2013.080
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