Control strategies against waterborne fungi have been studied only to a small degree. In order to increase knowledge of the effect of water treatment on waterborne fungi, the dose–response effect of four commonly used drinking water disinfection methods was tested on selected fungal species: Aspergillus calidoustus, Penicillium spinulosum, Trichoderma viride and Fusarium solani. These species are all common in Norwegian drinking water, and are regarded as emerging pathogens, toxigenic and/or food contaminants. Spore suspensions were treated with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, ozone, chlorine and chloramine. Three different doses were tested for each disinfectant and all doses were repeated three times. Bacillus subtilis was included as a control for the disinfection processes and to compare the resistance. P. spinulosum and T. viride were resistant to chlorine and chloramine. They were also very tolerant to UV-irradiation and ozone, although the highest doses of ozone had a small inactivation effect, especially on T. viride. Ozone was found to be most effective against fungi in general. It is apparent that fungal species may have very different properties when it comes to tolerance to water disinfection, and the inactivation of B. subtilis spores cannot be used as an indicator of fungal spore inactivation after water treatment.
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Research Article|
March 01 2012
No simple solution to waterborne fungi: various responses to water disinfection methods Available to Purchase
Gunhild Hageskal;
Gunhild Hageskal
1Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Section of Mycology, P.O. Box 750 Sentrum, 0106 Oslo, Norway
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Ingun Tryland;
Ingun Tryland
2Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway
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Helge Liltved;
Helge Liltved
2Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway
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Ida Skaar
1Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Section of Mycology, P.O. Box 750 Sentrum, 0106 Oslo, Norway
E-mail: [email protected]
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Water Supply (2012) 12 (2): 220–226.
Article history
Received:
September 19 2011
Accepted:
December 02 2011
Citation
Gunhild Hageskal, Ingun Tryland, Helge Liltved, Ida Skaar; No simple solution to waterborne fungi: various responses to water disinfection methods. Water Supply 1 March 2012; 12 (2): 220–226. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2012.131
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