Abstract
Abstract Electroporation has been evaluated as a potential backend wastewater treatment for deactivation of Ascaris suum eggs in buffer solution. Initial results indicate that eggshell permeability is affected by the pulse train electric field strength and duration. Coupling electroporation with chemical exposure, using low concentrations of commercially available disinfectants, allows oxidizing agents to pass through the complex strata of the A. suum eggshell, specifically reaching the innermost embryonic environment, which leads to successful deactivation compared to either method used separately. The aim of this work is to identify and develop an alternative technique that efficiently inactivates helminth eggs present in wastewater.
Highlights
The health of approximately 2.5 billion people is negatively impacted by the prevalence of polluted water due to inadequate sanitation facilities and the consequent inability for individuals to practice safe personal hygiene methods (Jiménez et al ; Naidoo et al ; Gyawali )
For the first time, we demonstrate that electroporation coupled with sequential inactivation using chlorine can successfully inactivate Ascaris suum
The examination of eggs that were treated with electroporation for less than 6 min, across various pulsed electric fields, suggests an insufficient amount of time to prompt substantial inactivation
Summary
The health of approximately 2.5 billion people is negatively impacted by the prevalence of polluted water due to inadequate sanitation facilities and the consequent inability for individuals to practice safe personal hygiene methods (Jiménez et al ; Naidoo et al ; Gyawali ). Ascariasis, caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, results in STH infection in humans, impacting over 10% of the world’s population (Brownell & Nelson ; Knopp et al ; Naidoo et al ; Global Health Metrics ; CDC ; World Health Organization ). This species of helminth is incredibly resilient, as it is able to survive outside of a host amidst adverse environmental conditions due to its complex eggshell structure (Gamble et al ; Mei et al ; Brownell & Nelson ; Moodley et al ; Perry & Moens ; Cruz et al ; Katakam et al ; Naidoo et al ; Oh et al ; Jiménez et al ). Damage to this layer at early stages of development may negatively impact the embryo, as it becomes more susceptible to environmental stress and harm (Wharton ; Perry & Moens )
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