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Disinfection

Water disinfection means the removal,

deactivation or killing of pathogenic

microorganisms. Microorganisms are destroyed
or deactivated, resulting in termination of growth
and reproduction. When microorganisms are not
removed fromdrinking water, drinking water
usage will cause people to fall ill.

Sterilization is a process related to disinfection.

However, during the sterilization process all

present microorganisms are killed, both harmful
and harmless microorganisms.

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Properties of Good
Disinfectant

Must destroy pathogens in reasonable

period of time.
Non toxic to human and animal
Easily dispensable
Safe and easy to transport and handle
Must persist in sufficient concentration
to provide possible recontamination.

Water Disinfection
Methods

Physical : Formation of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents in

water and wastewater effluent treated with chlorine has
prompted research to seek alternative disinfecting methods
that would minimize environmental and public health impacts.
Some techniques are already available commercially. This
category is represented by techniques employing such physical
principles for disinfection as
1. Radiation
2. Ultrasound
3. Ultrafiltration
4.Reverse osmosis
5. Heating
6.Freezing
7. ionizing radiation.
Disinfecting small quantities of water by pasteurizing with heat
or solar energy is a technology with some potential, but
requires further chemical
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Chemical Methods of Disinfection

of Water
Chemical

methods depend mostly on selected

chemicals with oxidizing and biocidal properties.
Their practical applications range from removing
undesirable constituents to disinfecting water
supplies,
wastewater
treatment
effluent,
or
industrial waters.
The most commonly used chemicals include
Ozone
Chlorine and some of its compounds
Potassium permanganate
Hydrogen peroxide.
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Two of the most common

Chemical
Water
chemical water disinfecting
agents, which may be used in an emergency situations,
are chlorine and iodine (halogens).Chloramines and
Disinfection
Ozone are also used by water treatment plants. In

order for chemical disinfection to be effective, the

water must be filtered and settled first.
Chemical disinfection often leaves an undesirable taste
in water, which an activated carbon filter can remove
post-treatment.
Otherwise, you can minimize bad taste and odor by
reducing the disinfectant concentration and increasing
contact time before drinking.

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 Another option to remove the taste of chlorine

and iodine from water is to add a pinch of ascorbic

acid, which is available in crystal or power form.
This converts chlorine into chloride and iodine into
iodide, both of which have no taste or odor.
Chlorine may be used in gas, liquid or solid form
to disinfect water. Because chlorine gas is highly
toxic and can be dangerous if released into the
atmosphere, this form of disinfection must be
done in a very controlled environment.
Otherwise, the danger is avoided by the use of
chlorine in liquid form (sodium hypochlorite) or
solid form (calcium hypochlorite).
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Household bleach is made up of 3-6 percent

sodium hypochlorite and the EPA recommends

using it to disinfect water in emergency
situations.
While chlorine is a highly effective and widely
used method of water disinfection, it reacts
with organic compounds in water, forming
trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids,
which are carcinogenic in large quantities. The
best way to avoid this is to remove as many
organics as possible, prior to disinfection. If
necessary, some commercial water filters also
remove chlorine and its by product,s posttreatment.
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Chlorination
Cl2 + H20 --> HCl + HOCl
HOCl --> H+ + OCl-

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Draw backs of
chlorination
Disinfection by chlorination can be problematic,

in some circumstances.

Chlorine can react compounds found in the

water supply to produce dangerous compounds,

known as disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The
most common DBPs are trihalomethanes (THMs)

products are carcinogenic .

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Theories Chlorine disinfection

action
Chlorine reacts with water and nascent oxygen is

produced
Action of chlorine is due to complete oxidative
destruction of organism
Cl reacts with protein and amino acid and destroys
the protoplasm
HOCl penetrates cell walls.

chemical reaction of HOCl with an enzyme

system in the cell which is essential to the

metabolic functioning of the organism .
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Important factors
The influencing factors to be considered in

chlorination practices are the following:

chlorine concentration,
contact time,
pH,
temperature, and
interfering substances

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Waterborne illness is caused by bacteria, viruses and parasitic often

found in rivers, lakes and other dirty water sources.

Heating the water to boiling point kills these disease-causing
microorganisms and is the surest way to make contaminated water
safe for drinking.
TheCenters for Disease Control (CDC)and theEnvironmental
Protection Agency (EPA)both recommend that you boil water
vigorously for one minute, to ensure that all microorganisms are killed.
Boiling will not rid the water of any unpleasant taste. However,
aeration of the water may improve bad taste.. In developed countries,
boiling is usually the recommended solution in emergency situations
where accidental water contamination has been reported. However, if
boiling is not an option, residents often resort to drinking bottled water.

Boiling

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UV Water Purification
Ultraviolet radiation penetrates the cell walls of

microorganisms and disrupts their DNA, making

them unable to reproduce. Though they remain
present in the water, they are inactive, and thus,
leave no risk of waterborne illness. UV light is
effective against viruses and bacteria but may not
inactivate parasitic cysts. As with ozone, a
secondary method is often necessary to prevent the
regrowth of organisms, post-treatment.
s.
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Filtration
Filtration is often the first and last step taken in
these common methods of water disinfection. It
isrecommended prior to the disinfection of
water to remove particles that hinder the
disinfecting process. Following disinfection,
filtration may also be used as a secondary
method to remove cysts, along with the bad
taste and odor caused by chemical byproducts.

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