Inactivation and injury assessment of Escherichia coli during solar and photocatalytic disinfection in LDPE bags

Solar disinfection (SODIS) of Escherichia coli suspensions in low-density polyethylene bag reactors was investigated as a low-cost disinfection method suitable for application in developing countries. The efficiency of a range of SODIS reactor configurations was examined (single skin (SS), double skin, black-backed single skin, silver-backed single skin (SBSS) and composite-backed single skin) using E. coli suspended in model and real surface water. Titanium dioxide was added to the reactors to improve the efficiency of the SODIS process. The effect of turbidity was also assessed. In addition to viable counts, E. coli injury was characterised through spread-plate analysis using selective and non-selective media. The optimal reactor configuration was determined to be the SBSS bag (t₅₀ = 9.0 min) demonstrating the importance of UVA photons, as opposed to infrared in the SODIS disinfection mechanism. Complete inactivation (6.5-log) was achieved in the presence of turbidity (50 NTU) using the SBSS bag within 180 min simulated solar exposure. The addition of titanium dioxide (0.025 g L⁻¹) significantly enhanced E. coli inactivation in the SS reactor, with 6-log inactivation observed within 90 min simulated solar exposure. During the early stages of both SODIS and photocatalytic disinfection, injured E. coli were detected; however, irreversible injury was caused and re-growth was not observed. Experiments under solar conditions were undertaken with total inactivation (6.5-log) observed in the SS reactor within 240 min, incomplete inactivation (4-log) was observed in SODIS bottles exposed to the same solar conditions.     

SODIS法对原水消毒的影响因素及发展趋势

阳光消毒法是一种简单、实用性强和无能耗的消毒方法,利用太阳的紫外光去除水中的病原微生物,特别适用于偏远和贫困地区。文章介绍了SOD IS法的操作,以及影响SOD IS法灭活效果的UV-A光照剂量、气候和天气状况、原水的浊度、容器的材质和形状、原水溶氧量及微生物的类型等因素,分析了其发展现状和趋势,对偏远地区的家庭饮用水消毒灭菌具有指导意义。