Ultraviolet – Chlorine combined treatment efficiency to eliminate Naegleria fowleri in artificial surf lagoons.
Heliyon 2022;
8:e11625. [PMID:
36439712 PMCID:
PMC9691874 DOI:
10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11625]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria. fowleri, a protozoa belonging to the free-living amoeba group, is the causative agent of a central nervous system affecting disease that is fatal in more than the 95% of the reported cases. This parasite can be found in warm water bodies such as lakes, rivers or inadequately disinfected swimming pools. On the other hand, chlorination and UV light treatment are two of the most extensively used disinfection methods in recreational water facilities.
In this study the effect of chlorination and UV light on N. fowleri trophozoites was studied in a close water circuit with the aim to assess the efficacy of this disinfection methods in large pools. The obtained results showed that the chlorination was able to decrease the number of viable cells despite the elimination was not totally achieved. Nonetheless, the combination of the UV light with the chlorination allowed the complete removal of the N. fowleri trophozoites from the water in experimental testing conditions.
Absence of an standardized water treatment protocol to eliminate N. fowleri.
Treatment based only on chlorine was ineffective to eliminate N. fowleri.
Combined chlorination and UV light treatment was effective to completely eliminate N.fowleri.
Combination of chlorine - Uv would be a promising method for water disinfection.
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