Effectiveness of UV Disinfection Following Free Chlorine or Chloramine for Controlling Coliform Occurrence in Distribution Systems
游离氯或氯胺后的紫外线消毒对控制配电系统大肠菌群发生的有效性
This study was undertaken to determine the effect of ultraviolet (UV) light in combination
with chlorine based disinfection on the growth of bacteria in a simulated warm climate
distribution system. The focus of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Cl2,
NH2Cl, UV/Cl2, and UV/NH2Cl in suppressing biofilm growth and coliform occurrences
in drinking water distribution systems through a field-scale study, and to compare
treatment with UV to no UV treatment. Heterotrophic plate counts and coliforms were
used to compare disinfection treatments for bacteria within the systems. In addition,
water quality parameters were monitored throughout the experiments. Keller Water Treatment Plant is located in Pinellas County, Florida. The
source for these experiments was groundwater treated for hydrogen sulphide removal,
corrosion control, pH adjustment, and addition of fluoride. The water is disinfected using
free chlorine followed by addition of ammonia at a ratio of 4.5:1 to produce
monochloramine.
Annular reactors containing coupons made of PVC material were used to simulate
the distribution system in Pinellas County. Two ARs acted as controls and received
treated water containing free chlorine or chloramines. Two more ARs received water
with either Cl2 or NH2Cl and were additionally treated with UV light. For these
experiments the water sources were chemically disinfected prior to exposure to UV at a
100 mJ/cm2 dose, whereas in practice, UV disinfection would normally occur prior to
chlorination. All non-opaque exposed surfaces of the ARs were covered to reduce the
potential of phototrophic growth in the field systems. The study ran over a seven-month
period from April to November, 2005.
A general schematic of the annular reactor set-up is presented. Two
streams, one containing monochloramine and one with free chlorine, were the primary
source waters for the model distribution systems. The water collected from each stream
was directed into a separate clearwell. The flow pumped from each of these clearwells
was split to feed both a UV unit and one AR. Each water stream had a separate low
pressure UV lamp (TrojanUV Max Model C) provided by Trojan Technologies. Once
water streams passed through the UV treatment they were directed towards two
additional separate clearwells which fed the remaining two ARs. During the study, the ARs were monitored once a week for heterotrophic bacteria
counts (suspended and biofilm), disinfectant residual and coliforms, as well as other
unreported water quality parameters. Bulk samples for HPC bacteria were collected in
100mL IDEXX bottles containing 10% w/v sodium thiosulfate to quench disinfectant
residual. The PVC coupons were removed aseptically and placed in sterile 50mL glass
containing PBS and 0.1% w/v sodium thiosulfate. Both samples were shipped overnight
to Dalhousie University laboratory where the attached cells on coupons were
immediately removed by the scraping method as described by Gagnon and Slawson
(1999). The scrapings were vortexed and plated on R2A agar to determine heterotrophic
plate counts. New coupons that were treated with ethanol were used to replace those that
had been removed and shipped from each AR. The process for enumeration of HPC
bacteria involved a standard spread plate technique as described in Standard Methods for
the Examination of Water and Wastewater (21st edition) on R2A agar (Difco
Laboratories).
Coliforms were enumerated using the IDEXX Colilert® Quanti-tray® system.
Commercially available sterile bottles containing sodium thiosulfate were used to collect
the 100-mL samples.
Statistical tests were performed and repeated for the various combinations of
disinfectants. In addition, statistical tests compared the significant differences between
the average influent and effluent values for the w