Computational fluid dynamics analysis of the effects of reactor configuration on disinfection efficiency.

The efficacy of disinfection processes in water purification systems is governed by several key factors, including reactor hydraulics, disinfectant chemistry, and microbial inactivation kinetics. The objective of this work was to develop a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to predict velocity fields, mass transport, chlorine decay, and microbial inactivation in a continuous flow reactor. The CFD model was also used to evaluate disinfection efficiency in alternative reactor designs. The CFD reactor analysis demonstrates that disinfection efficiency is affected by both kinetics and mixing state (i.e., degree of micromixing or segregation). Residence time distributions (RTDs) derived from tracer analysis do not describe intrinsic mixing conditions. The CFD-based disinfection models account for reactor mixing patterns by resolution of the reactor velocity field and thus provide a better prediction of microbial inactivation than models that use an RTD.     

Inactivation of Escherichia coli in the electrochemical disinfection process using a Pt anode

Recently, the electrochemical disinfection has gained a great interest as one of the alternatives to conventional chlorination due to its high effectiveness and environmental compatibility. Despite the extensive reports on electro-chlorination disinfection, few researches were reported on the systems without generating chlorine. This study mainly focused on the potential disinfecting ability of electro-generated oxidants other than chlorine with using an inert medium (chloride-free phosphate buffer solution), which was intended to exclude the formation of chlorine during the electrolysis, as the Escherichia coli as an indicator bacterium was disinfected by applying the current to a platinum anode. The electrochemical inactivation of E. coli without chlorine production was demonstrated to occur in two distinct stages. The first stage inactivation takes place rapidly at the beginning of electrolysis, which appears to be achieved by the electrosorption of negatively charged E. coli cells to the anode surface, followed by a direct electron transfer reaction. As the electrolysis continues further, the inactivation becomes slower but steady, in contrast to the first stage of inactivation. This was attributed to the action of reactive oxidants generated from water discharge, such as hydroxyl radical. Overall, this study suggests that the electrochemical disinfection could be successfully performed even without producing chlorine, recommending the potential application for disinfecting water that does not allow including any chloride ions (such as the production of ultra-pure sterilized water for semiconductor washing).     

三氯异氰尿酸在窖水中的余氯衰减规律及消毒效果

为保持集雨窖水水质,提高饮用水安全性,采用向窖水中投加三氯异氰尿酸(trichloroisocyanuric acid,TCCA)的消毒方法,检测主体水的余氯衰减规律和微生物的变化情况,重点研究了消毒剂投加量、温度及pH等因素的影响。实验结果表明：余氯衰减过程符合一级动力学模型;随初始氯投加量的增大,水中余氯衰减量增大,余氯衰减系数减小且与初始投加量的倒数成线性正相关;随水中有机物等反应物浓度的降低,余氯衰减量减少,余氯衰减系数减小;随温度的升高,余氯衰减量增大,衰减系数增大;随pH的增大,余氯衰减量减少,衰减系数减小;水中菌落总数的灭活率随消毒剂投加量的增加而增大。当消毒剂浓度为1.5~2.5 mg·L⁻¹时,在60 min内可完成对菌落总数99.0%的灭活;当消毒剂浓度大于2.5 mg·L⁻¹时,在30 min内可完成对菌落总数99.9%的灭活。在pH为6~9时,pH越小,消毒效果越好;在10～30 ℃时,温度越高,消毒效果越好;水中氨氮存在时,氯胺的生成会减弱短期消毒效果。与传统氯制消毒剂相比,TCCA在窖水消毒方面有较好的应用前景。     

反渗透海水淡化水的消毒

反渗透海水淡化是解决水资源危机的一项重要技术。反渗透海水淡化水在饮用水生产过程中需进行消毒以解决微生物污染问题。采用次氯酸钙、二氧化氯和紫外线3种消毒方法,考察了反渗透海水淡化水和自来水的消毒效果,比较了对主要水质指标如pH、硬度和碱度的影响及余氯和余ClO2的衰减性。结果表明,二氧化氯消毒速率最快,次氯酸钙消毒对水质的影响最大,而紫外线的消毒效果最为稳定。可为反渗透海水淡化水的进一步利用提供依据。     

Evaluation of disinfection techniques in the treatment of advanced primary treated wastewater for Ciudad Juárez, México.

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative disinfection techniques at the bench-scale level using wastewater from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, as model feed. This paper presents findings on the effectiveness of UV radiation, peracetic acid (PAA), chlorine dioxide (ClO2), and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as disinfectants for advanced primary treatment (APT) plant effluent. Wastewater samples for bench-scale testing were collected from an agua negra ("black water") ditch that is part of the combined sewer system in Ciudad Juarez. Bench-scale simulations of the APT process used in Ciudad Juarez were run using a jar test apparatus and aluminum sulfate [Al2(SO4)3] as the coagulant. Jar test effluent from the bench system was used for disinfection testing. The Mexican discharge quality standard for total coliforms is 10 000/100 mL. Ultraviolet radiation met this standard at a dose of 47.5 mW-s/cm2. Ultraviolet disinfection proved reliable and effective despite the presence of suspended solids, and UV dose effectiveness expressed as a total coliforms survival ratio was best explained by a linear regression model. The ClO2 dose ranged from 10 to 20 mg/L and was only effective under ambient temperature conditions found during the winter months; PAA disinfection never met Mexican standards. Chlorine disinfection was effective at a dose range of 8 to 10 mg/L on samples collected at low temperature conditions. Since the completion of this research, Ciudad Juarez has discontinued the use of chlorine disinfection because of its high cost and ineffectiveness.     

紫外-氯顺序灭活地下水源水中真菌的效能

以地下水源水中真菌为研究对象,研究了单独紫外线灭活、单独氯灭活以及紫外线-氯顺序灭活的灭菌效果,同时对单独消毒剂灭活进行了动力学研究,确定了其动力学参数。结果表明：单独紫外线灭活时,在相同紫外剂量（I·t）下,高紫外强度（I）下真菌的灭活效果优于低紫外强度的灭活效果;紫外线灭活符合一级光化学反应,其速率常数k为0.044~0.077 cm2·（mW·s）-1。单独氯灭活时,氯浓度2.0 mg·L-1,作用30 min,真菌灭活率达到95%;氯衰减符合一级衰减模型,即氯灭活真菌符合一级动力学反应,其速率常数k为0.056~0.081 L·（mg·s）-1。紫外线-氯顺序灭活时,高紫外剂量-低加氯量可以达到低紫外剂量-高加氯量的灭活效果;真菌完全灭活时,紫外剂量从5 mJ·cm-2增加到30 mJ·cm-2,加氯量可降低1~2 mg·L-1,减少了消毒副产物的生成量,降低了生态环境风险;紫外线与氯顺序灭活具有协同效应。     

Chemical and microbial characteristics of municipal drinking water supply systems in the Canadian Arctic

Drinking water in the vast Arctic Canadian territory of Nunavut is sourced from surface water lakes or rivers and transferred to man-made or natural reservoirs. The raw water is at a minimum treated by chlorination and distributed to customers either by trucks delivering to a water storage tank inside buildings or through a piped distribution system. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical and microbial drinking water quality from source to tap in three hamlets (Coral Harbour, Pond Inlet and Pangnirtung—each has a population of <2000) on trucked service, and in Iqaluit (population ~6700), which uses a combination of trucked and piped water conveyance. Generally, the source and drinking water was of satisfactory microbial quality, containing Escherichia coli levels of <1 MPN/100 mL with a few exceptions, and selected pathogenic bacteria and parasites were below detection limits using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. Tap water in households receiving trucked water contained less than the recommended 0.2 mg/L of free chlorine, while piped drinking water in Iqaluit complied with Health Canada guidelines for residual chlorine (i.e. >0.2 mg/L free chlorine). Some buildings in the four communities contained manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and/or lead (Pb) concentrations above Health Canada guideline values for the aesthetic (Mn, Cu and Fe) and health (Pb) objectives. Corrosion of components of the drinking water distribution system (household storage tanks, premise plumbing) could be contributing to Pb, Cu and Fe levels, as the source water in three of the four communities had low alkalinity. The results point to the need for robust disinfection, which may include secondary disinfection or point-of-use disinfection, to prevent microbial risks in drinking water tanks in buildings and ultimately at the tap.     

Wastewater disinfection alternatives: chlorine, ozone, peracetic acid, and UV light.

Disinfection tests were carried out at pilot scale to compare the disinfection efficiency of ozone, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), peracetic acid (PAA), and UV irradiation. Total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli were monitored as reference microorganisms. Total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) were also enumerated by cytometry. At similar doses, NaOCl was more effective than PAA, and its action was less affected by contact time. The results obtained by ozonation were comparable for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and E. coli. On the contrary, some differences among the three indicators were observed for NaOCl, PAA, and UV. Differences increased with increasing values of the disinfectant concentration times contact time (C x t) and were probably the result of different initial counts, as total coliforms include fecal coliforms, which include E. coli. The UV irradiation lead to complete E. coli removals, even at low doses (10 to 20 mJ/cm2). Total heterotrophic bacteria appeared to be too wide a group to be a good disinfection indicator; no correlation was found among THB inactivation, dose, and contact time.     

臭氧-氯联合灭活饮用水中枯草芽孢杆菌芽孢的研究

以枯草芽孢杆菌芽孢为模型微生物,研究了实际水体中单独氯消毒、单独臭氧消毒和臭氧-自由氯联合作用的灭菌效果.结果表明,枯草芽孢杆菌芽孢对单独氯消毒的抗性很大,6 mg/L氯作用240 min后灭活率仅为0.84个对数级;臭氧对枯草芽孢杆菌芽孢有较好的灭活效果,臭氧作用5 min,对其有4.68个对数级的灭活率.与单独氯消...     

臭氧-氯顺序灭活地下水源水中真菌的效能

以地下水源水中真菌为研究对象,研究了单独氯灭活、单独臭氧灭活以及臭氧-氯顺序灭活的灭菌效果,并用Berenbaum公式判断了2种消毒剂联合作用的性质,同时考察了预臭氧浓度和预臭氧时间对灭活效果的影响。结果表明：单独氯灭活时,当Ct=40 min·mg·L-1时,真菌存活率仅为7%;单独臭氧灭活时,当Ct=9 min·mg·L-1时,真菌存活率仅为10%;与单独消毒剂灭活相比,臭氧-氯顺序灭活对真菌的灭活效果更明显,1.0 mg·L-1臭氧作用1 min后接2.0 mg·L-1氯作用5 min,真菌存活率仅为11.7%;用Berenbaum公式计算得出臭氧和氯顺序灭活真菌是一种协同作用,且随着预臭氧浓度的增大、预臭氧时间的延长,灭活效果越好,协同作用越强。     

UV-NaClO顺序消毒对污水中大肠菌群的灭活效果

紫外(UV)和次氯酸钠(NaClO)消毒广泛应用于城市污水处理中,但目前2种消毒方式均存在不足。为实现既可高效消毒又能同时降低消毒所带来负面影响的目的,通过对比研究,分析了达到与UV或NaClO相同的消毒效果时,紫外-次氯酸钠(UV-NaClO)顺序消毒所需的消毒剂量以及UV-NaClO顺序消毒对微生物复活和消毒副产物(DBPs)生成的影响。结果表明：当UV剂量为9 mJ·cm⁻²,NaClO投加量为3、4和10 mg·L⁻¹时,UV-NaClO顺序消毒可达到与单独UV消毒时(剂量为12、20或60 mJ·cm⁻²)以及单独NaClO消毒时(NaClO投加量为4、10或20 mg·L⁻¹)的相同消毒效果;且当需要的微生物灭活效率越高时,UV-NaClO 顺序消毒的优势越明显。同单独UV消毒相比,UV-NaClO顺序消毒后微生物的光复活率和暗修复率明显降低。当达到与单独NaClO消毒相同的微生物灭活效果时,UV-NaClO顺序消毒可有效降低DBPs的生成量,例如完全灭活E.coli,采用UV-NaClO顺序消毒,DBPs的生成量可较单独NaClO消毒降低了76.87%。本研究可为污水排放与再生利用消毒技术的选择提供参考。     

Effects of wastewater disinfection on waterborne bacteria and viruses.

Wastewater disinfection is practiced with the goal of reducing risks of human exposure to pathogenic microorganisms. In most circumstances, the efficacy of a wastewater disinfection process is regulated and monitored based on measurements of the responses of indicator bacteria. However, inactivation of indicator bacteria does not guarantee an acceptable degree of inactivation among other waterborne microorganisms (e.g., microbial pathogens). Undisinfected effluent samples from several municipal wastewater treatment facilities were collected for analysis. Facilities were selected to provide a broad spectrum of effluent quality, particularly as related to nitrogenous compounds. Samples were subjected to bench-scale chlorination and dechlorination and UV irradiation under conditions that allowed compliance with relevant discharge regulations and such that disinfectant exposures could be accurately quantified. Disinfected samples were subjected to a battery of assays to assess the immediate and long-term effects of wastewater disinfection on waterborne bacteria and viruses. In general, (viable) bacterial populations showed an immediate decline as a result of disinfectant exposure; however, incubation of disinfected samples under conditions that were designed to mimic the conditions in a receiving stream resulted in substantial recovery of the total bacterial community. The bacterial groups that are commonly used as indicators do not provide an accurate representation of the response of the bacterial community to disinfectant exposure and subsequent recovery in the environment. UV irradiation and chlorination/dechlorination both accomplished measurable inactivation of indigenous phage; however, the extent of inactivation was fairly modest under the conditions of disinfection used in this study. UV irradiation was consistently more effective as a virucide than chlorination/dechlorination under the conditions of application, based on measurements of virus (phage) diversity and concentration. Taken together, and when considered in conjunction with previously published research, the results of these experiments illustrate several important limitations of common disinfection processes as applied in the treatment of municipal wastewaters. In general, it is not clear that conventional disinfection processes, as commonly implemented, are effective for control of the risks of disease transmission, particularly those associated with viral pathogens. Microbial quality in receiving streams may not be substantially improved by the application of these disinfection processes; under some circumstances, an argument can be made that disinfection may actually yield a decrease in effluent and receiving water quality. Decisions regarding the need for effluent disinfection must account for site-specific characteristics, but it is not clear that disinfection of municipal wastewater effluents is necessary or beneficial for all facilities. When direct human contact or ingestion of municipal wastewater effluents is likely, disinfection may be necessary. Under these circumstances, UV irradiation appears to be superior to chlorination in terms of microbial quality and chemistry and toxicology. This advantage is particularly evident in effluents that contain appreciable quantities of ammonia-nitrogen or organic nitrogen.     

饮用水消毒工艺对病毒的灭活

饮用水中的病毒会引发人体健康风险,故消毒是饮用水生物安全的重要屏障。为了比较不同消毒工艺对病毒的灭活效果,在总结水介质中常见病毒的种类及特性的基础上,围绕当前饮用水处理中广泛应用的消毒工艺(氯、氯胺、臭氧、二氧化氯、紫外线),梳理了各种消毒工艺的原理、影响因素、消毒效果及实际应用中的问题。鉴于消毒工艺进水水质对病毒灭活效果影响较大,且饮用水常规、深度处理工艺均可直接、间接强化对病毒的去除效果,故提出“常规处理+深度处理+消毒”协同高效运行的饮用水多级屏障处理工艺,以有效控制病毒等致病微生物引发的饮用水水质风险。     

Reduction of photoreactivation with the combined UV/peracetic acid process or by delayed exposure to visible light.

Photoreactivation of microorganisms following UV inactivation is a well-known, but complex, phenomenon. It is affected by several factors, including UV fluence, wavelength, light intensity, and exposure time to photoreactivating light. The effect on photoreactivation of a combined peracetic acid (PAA)/UV process has not been investigated. Accordingly, this study compared the degree of photoreactivation, under both sunlight and artificial lights, following UV and combined PAA/UV inactivation of fecal coliforms. Effluent samples from the Montreal Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWTP) (Quebec, Canada) were exposed, for 3 hours, to both low- and high-intensity artificial lights and sunlight. All resulted in similar photoreactivation levels. However, average photoreactivation for UV-treated wastewater samples was 1.2 logs, compared with 0.1 log for the combined PAA/UV treatment. Hence, the use of PAA in combination with UV can significantly reduce the potential for photoreactivation. To simulate the photoreactivation conditions of the MWTP effluent (which passes through a 4-km outfall tunnel with approximately 3 hours detention time), UV-treated samples were kept in the dark for 3 hours before photoreactivating light exposure. After this period, photoreactivation levels were close to zero. Hence, the effects of photoreactivation may be diminished by use of a combined disinfection scheme and/or by delaying exposure of the disinfected wastewater to light.     

Chlorine residuals and haloacetic acid reduction in rapid sand filtration

It is quite rare to find biodegradation in rapid sand filtration for drinking water treatment. This might be due to frequent backwashes and low substrate levels. High chlorine concentrations may inhibit biofilm development, especially for plants with pre-chlorination. However, in tropical or subtropical regions, bioactivity on the sand surface may be quite significant due to high biofilm development—a result of year-round high temperature. The objective of this study is to explore the correlation between biodegradation and chlorine concentration in rapid sand filters, especially for the water treatment plants that practise pre-chlorination. In this study, haloacetic acid (HAA) biodegradation was found in conventional rapid sand filters practising pre-chlorination. Laboratory column studies and field investigations were conducted to explore the association between the biodegradation of HAAs and chlorine concentrations. The results showed that chlorine residual was an important factor that alters bioactivity development. A model based on filter influent and effluent chlorine was developed for determining threshold chlorine for biodegradation. From the model, a temperature independent chlorine concentration threshold (Cl_threshold) for biodegradation was estimated at 0.46-0.5 mg L⁻¹. The results imply that conventional filters with adequate control could be conducive to bioactivity, resulting in lower HAA concentrations. Optimizing biodegradable disinfection by-product removal in conventional rapid sand filter could be achieved with minor variation and a lower-than-Cl_threshold influent chlorine concentration. Bacteria isolation was also carried out, successfully identifying several HAA degraders. These degraders are very commonly seen in drinking water systems and can be speculated as the main contributor of HAA loss.     

紫外线杀菌效能的研究

自来水的消毒目前普遍采用氯及含氯化合物药剂，消毒过程中产生三卤甲烷等致癌或致突变物质，从而造成水体的二次污染，许多国家已经禁止在消毒中使用含氯药剂。因此，具有安全可靠高效杀菌作用的紫外线消毒技术逐渐发展起来，并越来越受到人们的关注。但是紫外线的使用也有一定的限制，通过紫外线照射时间及进水浊度的变化，研究了具有一定照射强度的紫外灯的杀菌效能变化，并得出了紫外线具有最佳杀菌效果的进水极限浊度和照射时间。同时还研究了紫外线对具有不同抗性的细菌的系灭效率，为饮用水和污水的消毒处理提供了实验基础。     

Effect of chlorination and ultraviolet disinfection on tetA-mediated tetracycline resistance of Escherichia coli

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an emerging threat to public health during drinking water consumption and reclaimed water reuse. Several studies have shown that the proportions of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in waters may increase when exposed to low doses of UV light or chlorine. In this study, inactivation of tetracycline-resistant Escherichia coli and antibiotic-sensitive E. coli by UV disinfection and chlorination was compared to determine the tolerance of tetracycline-resistant E. coli to UV light and chlorine, and tetracycline resistance of a tetracycline-resistant E. coli population was studied under different doses of the disinfectants. Our results showed that relative to antibiotic-sensitive E. coli, tetracycline-resistant E. coli had the same tolerance to UV light and a potentially higher tolerance to chlorination. The mortality frequency distributions of tetracycline-resistant E. coli exposed to tetracycline were shifted by both chlorination and UV disinfection. When compared to the hemi-inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of tetracycline-resistant E. coli with no exposure to UV or chlorination, the IC₅₀ of tetracycline-resistant E. coli treated with tetracycline was 40% lower when inactivation by UV light or chlorination reached 3-log but was 1.18 times greater when inactivation by chlorination reached 4.3-log. Chlorination applied to drinking water or reclaimed water treatment may increase the risk of selection for highly tetracycline-resistant E. coli.     

The role of wastewater treatment in protecting water supplies against emerging pathogens.

Traditionally, regulators, dischargers, and even water suppliers believed that wastewater discharge meeting the levels of 200 cfu/ 100 mL of fecal coliforms in wastewater effluent was sufficient to protect against downstream microbial effects. However, these beliefs are now being challenged by emerging pathogens that are resistant to standard water and wastewater treatment processes, exhibit extended survival periods in the environment, can adversely affect sensitive subpopulations, and require extremely low doses for human infection. Based on this new information, it is estimated that discharges of emerging pathogens from conventional wastewater treatment plants as far as 160 km upstream and cumulative amounts of wastewater discharge ranging from 2 to 20 ML/d have the potential to reach a water supply intake in a viable state at significant concentrations that could exceed regulatory limits for drinking water supplies, increase endemic risk from drinking water, and/or require additional drinking water treatment. Wastewater dischargers may be able mitigate this potential effect and achieve upwards of 6 log combined removal and inactivation of emerging pathogens to mitigate drinking water effects by using alternative treatment processes, such as filtration or UV light disinfection, or optimizing these processes based on site-specific conditions.     

Investigation and modeling of solar UV-induced chlorine decay in disinfection contact basins at full-scale wastewater treatment plants

Residual chlorine loss due to UV sunlight in the chlorine disinfection contact basins (DCBs) was investigated at two full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Chlorine decay due to solar UV-induced photochemical reaction was found to be significant and had diurnal and seasonal variations. The total chlorine loss due to sunlight ranged from 19 to 26% of the total chlorine chemical use at the two plants studied. Covering chlorine contact basins led to more stable chlorine demand regardless of the diurnal and seasonal sunlight intensity. Therefore, covering chlorine contact basins offers more stable, or accurate, chlorine dosage and effluent residual control and requires less effort by plant operators. A mathematical model was developed to calculate the amount of UV-induced chlorine decay. The model developed can be used to estimate the UV-induced chlorine decay rate and total chlorine loss due to sunlight at WWTPs with various basin configurations, flowrates, chlorine dosages, and geographical locations. The model results allow the capital cost of covering needs to be assessed against the chlorine chemical cost savings.     

The occurrence of disinfection by-products in the drinking water of Athens,Greece

Application of chlorination for the disinfection of drinking water results in the formation of a wide range of organic compounds, called disinfection by-products (DBPs), which occur due to the reaction of chlorine with natural organic materials. The occurrence of DBPs was studied in samples from four drinking-water treatment plants (WTPs) and from the distribution network of Athens, Greece. Twenty-four compounds, which belong to different categories of DBPs, were monitored, including trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), haloketones (HAKs), chloral hydrate (CH) and chloropicrin (CP). Sampling was performed monthly for a period of two years, from three different points at each WTP and from eight points atthe distribution network. Samples were analyzed by GC-ECD methods, which included pretreatment with liquid-liquid extraction for volatile DBPs and acidic methanol esterification for HAAs. The results of the analyses have shown the presence of disinfection by-products belonging to all categories studied in all water samples collected after prechlorination. The major categories of DBPs detected were THMs and HAAs, while the other volatile DBPs occurred at lower concentrations. The concentrations of DBPs did not in any case exceed the maximum contaminant levels (MCL) set by USEPA and WHO. However, monitoring these compounds needs to be continued, because their levels could increase due to changes in the quality of water entering the water treatment plants. Reduction of the concentrations of DBPs could be achieved by optimization of the chlorination conditions, taking into account the effect of time. Moreover, research on alternative disinfection methods (e.g. ozone, chlorine dioxide, chloramines) and their by-products should be conducted to evaluate their applicability in the case of the drinking water of Greece.