Abstract
One source of water contamination is the release of wastewater that has not undergone efficient treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reduction obtained with sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), UV and peracetic acid disinfection treatment of Salmonella spp., pathogenic Campylobacter, STEC and bacterial indicators in three full-scale municipal wastewater plants. A general reduction in Salmonella was observed after disinfection, but these bacteria were detected in one UV-treated sample (culture method) and in 33%, 50% and 17% of samples collected after NaClO, UV and PAA disinfection treatments, respectively (PCR method). A better reduction was also observed under NaClO disinfection for the microbial indicators. Independent of the disinfection treatment, E. coli O157:H7 was not detected in the disinfected samples, whereas some samples treated with UV and PAA showed the presence of the stx1 gene. No reduction in the presence of stx2 genes was verified for any of the disinfection treatments. Campylobacter was not detected in any of the analysed samples. The overall results highlight a better reduction in microbiological parameters with a NaClO disinfection treatment in a full-scale municipal wastewater plant compared with UV and PAA. However, the results indicate that a complete and specific monitoring program is necessary to prevent a possible risk to public health.
Highlights
Water scarcity is currently one of the main challenges being faced by humans and governments; water quality protection for drinking purposes, aiming to reduce the impact on human health, represents a priority issue [1]
Can reduce the main enteric bacteria in wastewater, this disinfectant is associated with microbial regrowth and it shows lower abatement of some microorganisms [13,14]
The contamination of surface waters by pathogenic microorganisms, as a consequence of inadequate wastewater disinfection, may promote waterborne disease spread, including those caused by pathogenic Campylobacter, Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Salmonella [15,16,17]
Summary
Water scarcity is currently one of the main challenges being faced by humans and governments; water quality protection for drinking purposes, aiming to reduce the impact on human health, represents a priority issue [1]. The contamination of surface waters by pathogenic microorganisms, as a consequence of inadequate wastewater disinfection, may promote waterborne disease spread, including those caused by pathogenic Campylobacter, Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Salmonella [15,16,17]. A campylobacteriosis outbreak (39 cases) associated with a municipal water system contaminated by wastewater was reported in Nebraska [24]. The recent literature suggests that irrigation water represent a possible source of Salmonella contamination in produce, highlighting its possible role as a transmission vehicle [25]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reduction obtained with sodium hypochlorite, UV and peracetic acid disinfection treatment of the most important zoonotic bacterial pathogens (Salmonella spp., pathogenic Campylobacter, and STEC) and typical bacterial indicators of faecal contamination in three different full-scale municipal wastewater plants
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