Factors promoting survival of bacteria in chlorinated water supplies

Results of our experiments showed that the attachment of bacteria to surfaces provided the greatest increase in disinfection resistance. Attachment of unencapsulated Klebsiella pneumoniae grown in medium with high levels of nutrients to glass microscope slides afforded the microorganisms as much as a 150-fold increase in disinfection resistance. Other mechanisms which increased disinfection resistance included the age of the biofilm, bacterial encapsulation, and previous growth conditions (e.g., growth medium and growth temperature). These factors increased resistance to chlorine from 2- to 10-fold. The choice of disinfectant residual was shown to influence the type of resistance mechanism observed. Disinfection by free chlorine was affected by surfaces, age of the biofilm, encapsulation, and nutrient effects. Disinfection by monochloramine, however, was only affected by surfaces. Importantly, results showed that these resistance mechanisms were multiplicative (i.e., the resistance provided by one mechanism could be multiplied by the resistance provided by a second mechanism).

[1]  R. Seidler,et al.  Selection of antibiotic-resistant standard plate count bacteria during water treatment , 1982, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[2]  D. Herson,et al.  Attachment as a factor in the protection of Enterobacter cloacae from chlorination , 1987, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[3]  R V Levy,et al.  Novel method for studying the public health significance of macroinvertebrates occurring in potable water , 1984, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[4]  F. M. Wellings,et al.  Survival of poliovirus within organic solids during chlorination , 1979, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[5]  B. Olson,et al.  Chlorine resistance patterns of bacteria from two drinking water distribution systems , 1982, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[6]  G M FAIR,et al.  Behavior of chlorine as a water disinfectant. , 1948, Water & sewage works.

[7]  Betty H. Olson,et al.  Inactivation of heterotrophic bacterial populations in finished drinking water by chlorine and chloramines , 1985 .

[8]  A K Camper,et al.  Bacteria associated with granular activated carbon particles in drinking water , 1986, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[9]  J. K. Reilly,et al.  Relationship of bacterial counts with turbidity and free chlorine in two distribution systems , 1983 .

[10]  J. V. Matson,et al.  Diffusion into microbial aggregates , 1976 .

[11]  John T. Wierenga,et al.  Recovery of coliforms in the presence of a free chlorine residual , 1985 .

[12]  B. Rittmann,et al.  Mathematical modeling of biofilm on activated carbon. , 1987, Environmental science & technology.

[13]  J. D. Berg,et al.  Effect of Antecedent Growth Conditions on Sensitivity of Escherichia coli to Chlorine Dioxide , 1983, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[14]  A K Camper,et al.  Disinfection of bacteria attached to granular activated carbon , 1984, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[15]  J. Lester,et al.  Comparison of Bacterial Extracellular Polymer Extraction Methods , 1980, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[16]  M. Lechevallier,et al.  Effect of turbidity on chlorination efficiency and bacterial persistence in drinking water , 1981, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[17]  Betty H. Olson,et al.  Variations in particulate matter, algae, and bacteria in an uncovered, finished‐drinking‐water reservoir , 1983 .

[18]  M. Lechevallier,et al.  Evaluation of procedures to desorb bacteria from granular activated carbon , 1985 .

[19]  J. Overmeyer,et al.  Enhanced chlorine resistance of tap water-adapted Legionella pneumophila as compared with agar medium-passaged strains , 1985, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[20]  M. Lechevallier,et al.  Examination and characterization of distribution system biofilms , 1987, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[21]  LeVerne D. Hudson,et al.  Coliforms in a water distribution system: a remedial approach , 1983 .

[22]  N J Petersen,et al.  Factors affecting comparative resistance of naturally occurring and subcultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa to disinfectants. , 1972, Applied microbiology.

[23]  Harry W. Tracy,et al.  Coliform Persistence in Highly Chlorinated Waters , 1966 .

[24]  F. Smith,et al.  COLORIMETRIC METHOD FOR DETER-MINATION OF SUGAR AND RELATED SUBSTANCE , 1956 .

[25]  J. C. Hoff,et al.  Susceptibility of chemostat-grown Yersinia enterocolitica and Klebsiella pneumoniae to chlorine dioxide , 1985, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[26]  R. S. Tobin,et al.  Effect of chlorination on antibiotic resistance profiles of sewage-related bacteria , 1984, Applied and environmental microbiology.