Persistence of non‐native spore forming bacteria in drinking water biofilm and evaluation of decontamination methods

Abstract

Persistence of Bacillus globigii spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, was studied on biofouled concrete‐lined slides in drinking water using biofilm annular reactors. Reactors were inoculated with B. globigii spores and persistence was monitored in the bulk and biofilm phases, first in dechlorinated water and later with free chlorine concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/L. In the dechlorinated study, a steady state population of spores developed on the slides. The addition of free chlorine at 5 mg/L decreased the adhered spore density by 2‐logs within 4 hours and spores were not detected after 67 and 49 hours in the presence of 1 and 5 mg/L free chlorine, respectively. This suggests that adhered spores can persist in non‐chlorinated conditions, but detach and/or are inactivated upon addition of free chlorine. When injected into a chlorinated reactor, adhered spore density continually decreased and spores were either undetectable or unquantifiable by 48 hours for both 1 and 5 mg/L chlorine concentrations. Results from these experiments suggest that the presence of a free chlorine residual limits adherence of viable spores to biofouled concrete‐lined pipe walls by inactivating spores before they have attached. Both free chlorine concentrations (1 and 5 mg/L) were equally effective at inactivating spores in terms of log reduction, but the higher concentrations yielded faster rates of log reduction.