Household water filters, particularly point-of-use systems, are crucial to ensure safe drinking water consumption by eliminating microbial contaminants. This study evaluated the efficacy of three types of water purifiers (ultrafiltration [UF], nanofiltration [NF], and reverse osmosis [RO]) against microbial contamination. In our experiments, Escherichia coli and bacteriophage MS2 were used as two microbial indicators in daily household settings to track the spatial and temporal profiles of their behavior from the filter inlets to in-UF, NF, and RO water purifiers, and then to effluents. The results showed that both NF and RO water purifiers removed 100 % of the indicator organisms. The UF water purifier achieved 100 % removal of E. coli, but the removal of MS2 phage was poor. The presence of coexisting ions and natural organic matter in tap water can significantly affect the behavior of MS2 phages during the water treatment process. Their presence reduces the charge repulsion effect of the UF membrane on the MS2 phage as well as promotes the migration of the MS2 phage on the post-activated carbon cartridge that was placed in the last unit of the water purifier system, which could increase the pathogen transmission risks in drinking water supplies. The bacterial community structures of the cartridge materials and cartridge effluents from each unit were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, which revealed distinct microbial profiles of the different purifiers. Environmental conditions such as pH, nutrient availability, materials, and operational parameters can affect the composition of bacterial communities. Scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was used to examine the surface morphology of the membranes after they were exposed to water contaminants, which demonstrated that the inherent differences in the membrane structure influenced the retention of pollutants and microorganisms on the surfaces. In summary, this study demonstrates that both NF and RO water purifiers can significantly reduce the presence of various enteric and opportunistic pathogenic bacteria in drinking water, leading to safer potable water, whereas UF water purifiers may have certain risks owing to their UF membranes and post-activated carbon. In addition, secondary microbial contamination may be introduced by the post-activated carbon units of water purifiers, especially after long-term usage. Therefore, we concluded that addressing the secondary microbial pollution caused by post-activated carbon after prolonged use and long-term shutdown is essential for maintaining the safety and quality of drinking water.
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