Solar and photocatalytic disinfection of protozoan, fungal and bacterial microbes in drinking water

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) 2005-03, Vol.39 (5), p.877-883
• Main Authors: Lonnen, J., Kilvington, S., Kehoe, S.C., Al-Touati, F., McGuigan, K.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acanthamoeba - isolation & purification; Acanthamoeba polyphaga; Animals; Applied sciences; Bacillus subtilis; Bacteria; Candida albicans; Catalysis; Cysts; Cysts - diagnosis; Cysts - prevention & control; Disinfection; Disinfection - methods; Drinking; drinking water; Drinking water and swimming-pool water. Desalination; Escherichia coli; Eukaryota - radiation effects; Exact sciences and technology; Fungi; Fungi - radiation effects; Fusarium solani; inactivation; microbial inactivation; Photocatalyst; photochemical reactions; Photochemistry; Pollution; Polyphaga; Protozoa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Solar; solar disinfection; Solar Energy; solar photocatalytic disinfection; solar radiation; Spores; Spores, Bacterial - radiation effects; Sunlight; Time Factors; TiO 2; Water Microbiology; Water Supply; water treatment; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2004.11.023

The ability of solar disinfection (SODIS) and solar photocatalytic (TiO 2) disinfection (SPC-DIS) batch-process reactors to inactivate waterborne protozoan, fungal and bacterial microbes was evaluated. After 8 h simulated solar exposure (870 W/m 2 in the 300 nm–10 μm range, 200W/m 2 in the 300–400 nm UV range), both SPC-DIS and SODIS achieved at least a 4 log unit reduction in viability against protozoa (the trophozoite stage of Acanthamoeba polyphaga), fungi ( Candida albicans, Fusarium solani) and bacteria ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli). A reduction of only 1.7 log units was recorded for spores of Bacillus subtilis. Both SODIS and SPC-DIS were ineffective against the cyst stage of A. polyphaga.