Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MEng (Water Utilization))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted

Les eaux minérales naturelles se distinguent de l’eau potable par leur contenu en sels minéraux et en éléments traces. Leur utilisation à des fins thérapeutiques s’effectue sous contrôle médical dans des établissements thermaux. La gestion des réseaux de distribution ainsi que la qualité microbiologique de l’eau font l’objet de réglementations. Malgré la mise en place de procédures spécifiques, les établissements thermaux sont régulièrement confrontés à des contaminations microbiologiques majoritairement dues à P. aeruginosa. Ce pathogène opportuniste possède d’importantes capacités d’adaptation, de résistance et de persistance dans l’environnement, notamment sous forme de biofilms. L’objectif de ces travaux de thèse est d’apporter des éléments de compréhension sur le comportement de P. aeruginosa dans les réseaux de distribution d’eau minérale naturelle et de valider l’efficacité de produits de traitement. L’influence de la composition minérale de 3 eaux sur les capacités à former du biofilm de 9 souches de P. aeruginosa d’origines diverses a pu être démontrée. Il apparait que les quantités de biofilms produites au bout de 24 h sont moins importantes pour la minéralisation forte. La modulation de la production de facteurs de virulence en fonction de la qualité de l’eau est corrélée à l’action spécifique de certains ions et à la biodisponibilité du fer. En conditions de minéralisation forte il a été montré que les matériaux organiques favorisent la formation de biofilm de P. aeruginosa tandis que les matériaux métalliques ont tendance à la défavoriser. L’efficacité d’une séquence de traitement de postes de soins a pu être validée sur un modèle de biofilm âgé de 24 h et sur tous les matériaux. / Natural mineral waters are distinguished from drinking water bytheir content in minerals and trace elements. Their use for therapeuticpurposes under medical control is performed in spas. Management ofdistribution networks and the microbiological quality of water are subjectto regulations. Despite the establishment of specific procedures, spas areregularly confronted with microbiological contamination mainly due to P.aeruginosa. This opportunistic pathogen has substantial adaptive capacity,resistance and persistence in the environment, under biofilm.The aim of this thesis work is to bring understanding on the P.aeruginosa behaviour in the natural mineral water distribution networksand validate the effectiveness of treatment products.The influence of the mineral composition of 3 waters on biofilmformation capacity of 9 P. aeruginosa strains of various origins could bedemonstrated. It appears that the amount of biofilm produced after 24 hare less important for the strong mineralization. Modulation of theproduction of virulence factors depending on the water quality iscorrelated to the specific action of certain ions and iron bioavailability. Inhigh mineralization conditions it has been shown that organic materialspromote biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa while metallic materials tendto disadvantage it. The efficiency of a treatment sequence of a patient pointof use has been validated on the 24 h biofilm model and on all materials.

Visible light-driven photocatalysis has shown considerable potential in the area of clean and renewable energy, as well as in wastewater treatment. This thesis describes the synthesis, characterization and applicability of a visible-light active photocatalyst, bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr). The photocatalytic activity of BiOBr was investigated through its preparation via hydrothermal and solvothermal synthesis routes under various conditions. Hydrothermal catalyst was prepared using non template based method while for solvothermal synthesis CTAB was used as a template. Parameters of temperature and time of thermal treatment were optimized for each synthesis method and overall tests for catalyst dosage and recyclability were performed. An overall optimal route leading to high photocatalytic performance was also proposed based on the obtained results. Studies were also conducted to examine the applicability of optimally synthesized BiOBr in drinking water applications by studying catalyst-mediated disinfection of E. coli and degradation of phenol. Favourable results were obtained, confirming the prospective application of BiOBr as a viable photocatalyst for disinfection. Furthermore, the potential of enhancing BiOBr to further improve its performance is described through synthesis of a novel PdCl2/BiOBr based photocatalyst. Overall, the performance of BiOBr under various conditions in this study establishes its potential as a holistic photocatalyst and merits further development.

Métodos de desinfecção da água destinam-se à inativação de patógenos a fim de minimizar o risco de doenças transmitidas pela água. Estes métodos incluem tratamento com luz ultravioleta e processos químicos, para o qual cloro, dióxido de cloro, hipoclorito e ozônio são comumente utilizados. No entanto, métodos analíticos modernos revelam que estes métodos padrão de desinfecção da água podem levar à formação de produtos tóxicos e potencialmente cancerígenos. Desse modo, desenvolver métodos mais adequados para a desinfecção de água é uma necessidade. Inativação Fotodinâmica é uma nova abordagem para a eliminação de microrganismos patogênicos. Basicamente, esse processo utiliza fotossensibilizadores e luz para promover uma resposta fototóxica, normalmente oxidativa, capaz de danificar biomoléculas e estruturas celulares, provocando a morte dos microrganismos. No entanto, o fotossensibilizador não pode permanecer livre como um contaminante neste tipo de aplicação. Assim, o objetivo desse estudo foi o desenvolvimento de membranas de quitosana com fotossensibilizadores incorporados visando à desinfecção microbiológica da água. As membranas foram preparadas incorporando-se o azul de metileno, a rosa de bengala, meso-tetrakis (4-N-metilpiridil)-porfirina ou a 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(p-aminofenil)-porfirina. A eficiência do processo de Inativação Fotodinâmica com os fotossensibilizadores incorporados as membrana foi investigada empregando-se a bactéria Escherichia coli como modelo, já que esta bactéria está comumente presente em águas de abastecimento. Os resultados mostraram que, dentre os quatro fotossensibilizadores incorporados em membranas de quitosana, o processo fotodinâmico empregando a TMPyP se mostrou mais efetivo: 5 log de redução após 120 minutos de irradiação com LED branco e 4 log de redução após 120 e 140 minutos de irradiação com LED azul e amarelo, respectivamente. Além disso, com o intuito de simular uma situação real de desinfecção, um sistema circulatório de água, contendo membranas de quitosana/TMPyP reforçadas com nylon, foi empregado. Os resultados mostraram que o processo de fotoinativação dinâmico foi efetivo, apresentando 3 log de redução em 80 minutos de irradiação com LED branco. Estes resultados sugerem que o processo é efetivo para inativar bactérias contaminantes na água, empregando-se fotossensibilizadores incorporados em quitosana como suporte polimérico. / Methods of water disinfection aim to inactivate pathogens in order to minimize the risk of waterborne diseases. These methods include treatment with ultraviolet light and chemical processes, for which chlorine, chlorine dioxide, hypochlorite and ozone are commonly used. However, modern analytical methods reveal that these standard methods of water disinfection may lead to the formation of toxic and potentially carcinogenic products. Thus, developing suitable methods for water disinfection is a necessity. Photodynamic inactivation is a new approach to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. Basically, this process uses photosensitizers and light to promote a phototoxic response, normally oxidative, capable of damaging biomolecules and cellular structures, causing the death of microorganisms. However, the photosensitizer cannot remain free as a contaminant in this type of application. The objective of this study was to develop chitosan membranes with incorporated photosensitizers aiming the microbiological water disinfection. The membranes were prepared by incorporating methylene blue, rose bengal, meso-tetrakis (4-N-methylpyridyl)-porphine or the 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(p-aminophenyl)- porphyrin. The efficiency of the Photodynamic Inactivation with photosensitizers incorporated into the membrane was investigated using the bacteria Escherichia coli as a model, since this bacteria is commonly present in drinking water. The results showed that, among the four photosensitizers incorporated into chitosan membranes, the process employing the TMPyP was more effective: 5 log reduction after 120 minutes of irradiation with white LED and 4 log reduction after 120 and 140 minutes of irradiation with blue and yellow LED, respectively. Moreover, in order to simulate a real situation of disinfection, a water circulation system, containing TMPyP/chitosan membranes reinforced with nylon, was employed. The results showed that the process of photoinactivation using a dynamic system was effective, with about 3 log reduction in 80 minutes of irradiation with white LED. These results suggest that the process is effective to inactivate bacterial contaminants in water using photosensitizers incorporated into chitosan as a polymeric support.

Solarização é uma alternativa para desinfecção de águas residuárias, pois a ação conjunta dos raios solares e da temperatura tende a inibir o crescimento de microrganismos. O objetivo desta pesquisa é verificar a eficácia do método na redução de microrganismos patogênicos em amostras de efluente doméstico. O experimento foi desenvolvido em condições de campo nos meses de julho, agosto, outubro e dezembro de 2006 e março e julho de 2007, na área da estação meteorológica localizada na Fazenda Piloto da Universidade de Taubaté. A análise de coliformes fecais e a leitura de turbidez foram realizadas no laboratório de Microbiologia Agrícola e Fitopatologia do Departamento de Ciências Agrárias da Universidade de Taubaté. A temperatura do ar e a intensidade da radiação solar total acumulada foram fornecidas pela Plataforma de Coleta de Dados (PCD) uma parceria UNITAU e INPE através do Programa de Monitoramento Ambiental da Região do Eixo Rio-São Paulo. As amostras de efluentes foram condicionadas em 20 garrafas transparentes com capacidade para 2L tipo PET (Politereflato de Etileno), depois submetidas aos seguintes procedimentos: sem exposição ao sol e com 2, 4, 6 e 8 horas de exposição ao sol, com 4 repetições cada, totalizando 20 recipientes. A eficiência do tempo de exposição foi determinada pela quantificação do Número Mais Provável (NMP) para coliformes fecais nas amostras de efluentes. Quanto ao resultado podese observar que a exposição do efluente a radiação solar reduziu a ocorrência de coliformes fecais, na medida em que se aumentou o tempo de exposição. Sendo que para 2 horas de exposição à radiação solar houve uma redução média de 51,2% e com 8 horas de exposição essa média aumentou para 84% de redução para coliformes fecais. De acordo com os resultados pôde-se concluir que a solarização poderá ser utilizada para reduzir microrganismos patogênicos no efluente doméstico. / Solarization is an alternative method for disinfection of wastewater, therefore the joint action of the solar rays and the temperature tends to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. The objective of this research is to verify the effectiveness of the method for the reduction of pathogenic microorganisms in domestic effluent samples. The experiment was developed in field conditions during the months of August, October and December of 2006 and March and July of 2007, in the area of the meteorological station located in the Pilot Farm of the University of Taubate. The fecal coliform counts and the turbidity readings were performed in the Agricultural Microbiology and Phytopathology Laboratory of the Agrarian Sciences Department of the University of Taubate. The air temperature and the intensity of the accumulated total solar radiation had been supplied by the Data Collection Platform (DCP), a partnership between UNITAU and INPE for the Program of Environmental Monitoring of the Rio-Sao Paulo Region. The effluent samples had been placed inside of 20 transparent 2-liter disposable bottles, and than submitted to the following procedures: without exposition to the sun and with 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours of exposition to the sun, four repetitions each, totalizing 20 experiments. The efficiency of the exposition time was determined by the fecal coliform counts in the effluent samples enumerated by the most probable number (MPN) method. It can be observed reduction of fecal coliform counts with the exposition of the effluent to the solar radiation, and this reduction was proportional to the increasing of the exposition time. It was observed an average reduction for fecal coliform counts of 51,2% with 2 hours of solar radiation exposition, and this average reduction increased to 84% with 8 hours of exposition. The results showed that the solarization can be used as a method for reduction of pathogenic microorganisms in the domestic effluent.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-02T13:55:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 NorivalFranca-Dissertacao.pdf: 446369 bytes, checksum: bbe0a6a3048b8d56def995c6b29951b0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-05 / The fermentation process for the production of cachaça (the most popular alcoholic distilled beverage) in Brazil is influenced by the quality of the raw material. Thus any raw material containing a high microbial load results in an ineffective fermentation, which is reflected on the final quality of the cachaça. This study evaluated the action of ultraviolet radiation as an alternative disinfectant for cachaça-producing sugarcane juice. The experiment was carried out at the TUCANINHA cachaça-producing unit in the city of São João Batista do Glória, MG. A 10.0m × 43cm × 13cm aluminum plate treatment chamber was made with five 2.0 × 43cm × 14cm heads for germicidal UV lamps. The chamber was installed at the outlet of the mill for the passage of the UV-treated sugarcane juice in a continuous flow system. The effectiveness of the treatment was assayed by microbiological analyses of the cane juice at five treatment times. The statistical design was completely randomized, with five treatments and three replications, with a P value of 64.63%. Two types of fermented wines were analyzed: those from UV radiation-treated broth and the ones from untreated broth, consideration two treatments and 10 repetitions. The tests for acidity, alcohol percentage, and pH showed a P value higher than 0.05%. The cachaças produced with irradiated and non-irradiated sugarcane juice showed values in accordance with the current legislation. It was concluded that the physical and chemical characteristics of the sugarcane juice influenced the action of the radiation on the cane juice microorganisms. Only a small amount of microorganisms were eliminated, what demonstrates that ultraviolet radiation is not effective to eliminate the microbiota of sugarcane juice. / O processo fermentativo para produção de cachaça é influenciado pela qualidade da matéria prima. Desta forma uma matéria prima que contenha alta carga microbiana resulta em uma fermentação ineficiente, cujo resultado é refletido na qualidade final da cachaça. Neste contexto, objetivou-se, nesta investigação, avaliar a ação da radiação ultravioleta como desinfetante alternativo na desinfecção do caldo de cana para produção de cachaça. O experimento foi instalado na unidade de produção de cachaça TUCANINHA na cidade de São João Batista do Glória-MG. Confeccionou-se uma câmara de tratamento em chapas de alumínio com dimensões de 10,0m x 43cm x 13cm com cinco tampos de dimensões 2,0m x 43cm x 14cm, onde foram instaladas lâmpadas germicidas por radiação ultravioleta. A câmara foi instalada na saída da moenda para passagem do caldo de cana sob a ação da radiação ultravioleta em um sistema de fluxo contínuo. A eficiência do tratamento foi avaliada através de análises microbiológicas do caldo de cana em cinco tempos de tratamento. O delineamento estatístico foi inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos e três repetições, apresentando um P valor de 64,63 %. Analisaram os vinhos fermentados com caldo tratado com a radiação ultravioleta e o caldo não tratado, considerando dois tratamentos e 10 repetições. As análises de acidez, porcentagem de álcool e o pH, apresentaram P valor maior que 0,05%. As cachaças produzidas com caldo de cana irradiado e não irradiado apresentaram valores que estão de acordo com a legislação vigente. Concluiu-se que as características físicas e químicas do caldo de cana influenciaram na ação da radiação sobre os microrganismos presentes no caldo de cana, eliminando uma pequena parte dos microrganismos, não sendo suficiente para considerar a radiação ultravioleta eficiente na eliminação de microrganismos presente no caldo de cana.

Conventional wastewater treatment plants are able to reduce contaminant loads within regulations but do not take into account emerging contaminants. Antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic resistant bacteria have been shown to survive wastewater treatment and remain detectable in effluents. The safety of treated wastewaters is crucial, otherwise unregulated and unmitigated emerging contaminants pose risks to public health and impede wastewater reuse. This dissertation aimed to further understanding of emerging microbial threats, and tested two natural and low-cost tools for their mitigation: sunlight, and bacteriophages. A wastewater bacterial isolate, named E. coli PI-7, which is highly antibiotic resistant, carries the novel antibiotic resistance gene New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase NDM-1 gene, and displays pathogenic traits, was chosen to model responses to the treatments. Results found that solar irradiation was able to achieve a 5-log reduction in E. coli PI-7 numbers within 12 hours of exposure. However, the results also emphasized the risks from emerging microbial contaminants since E. coli PI-7, when compared with a non-pathogenic strain E. coli DSM1103 that has less antibiotic resistance, showed longer survival under solar irradiation. In certain instances, E. coli PI-7 persisted for over 6 hours before starting to inactivate, exhibited complex stress resistance gene responses, and activated many of its concerning pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance traits. However, upon solar irradiation, gene expression results obtained from both E. coli strains also showed increased susceptibility to bacteriophages. Hence, bacteriophages were coupled with solar irradiation as an additional mitigation strategy. Results using the coupled treatment found reduced cell-wall and extracellular matrix production in E. coli PI-7. DNA repair and other cellular defense functions like oxidative stress responses were also impeded, rendering E. coli PI-7 more susceptible to both stressors and successfully hastening the onset of its inactivation. Overall, the dissertation is built upon the need to develop strategies to further mitigate risks associated with emerging microbial contaminants. Solar irradiation and bacteriophages demonstrate potential as natural and low-cost mitigation strategies. Sunlight was able to achieve significant log-reductions in tested E. coli numbers within a day’s exposure. Bacteriophages were able to overwhelm E. coli PI-7’s capacity to resist solar inactivation while not affecting the indigenous microbiota.

No description available.

The diploma thesis compares the effectiveness of disinfectants on the content of the lactic acid. The disinfectants used for the experimental part are formalin and BetaStab®. The content of glucose and lactic acid was observed and compared after processing conventional beet and bio-beet. Based on the analysis of the measured data, it was found that the highest disinfecting effect on the lactic acid content had formalin, the avearge lactic acid value was 275 mg/l. In experiment with BetaStab® disinfection the average value of the lactic acid was 350 mg/l. When the beet was processed without the use of disinfection, this average lactic acid was 371 mg/l and in the untreated treatment of the bio-beet, the lactic acid content was 467 mg/l. The glucose content of formalin disinfection diffusion juice reached an average of 573 mg/l. When BetaStab® disinfection was applied, the average glucose content was 348 mg/l and a similar value was measured for the bio-beet treatment (328 mg/l). The highest glucose content had untreated conventional beet, where an average value of 690 mg/l was reached.

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the current global pandemic, COVID-19. Because this virus is novel, little is known about its sensitivity to disinfection. In this study, we performed suspension tests against SARS-CoV-2 using three commercially available quaternary ammonium compound (Quat) disinfectants and one laboratory-made 0.2% benzalkonium chloride solution. Three of the four formulations completely inactivated the virus within 15 seconds of contact, even in the presence of a soil load or when diluted in hard water. We conclude that Quats rapidly inactivate SARS-CoV-2, making them potentially useful for controlling SARS-CoV-2 spread in hospitals and the community. In addition to disinfection, little is known about the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 to wastewater. A number of researchers have tracked the spread of COVID-19 by using qPCR to look for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater, but it is unclear how long that RNA lasts or whether that RNA is from intact or inactivated virus. In this study, we added laboratory-grown SARS-CoV-2 to various samples of wastewater and measured its persistence using both qPCR, which detects all viral RNA, and a plaque assay, which detects only infectious virus. The level of infectious virus declined sharply by over 4 log reductions during an 8 day time period, while the level of measurable RNA did not decline significantly. Autoclaving or filtering the wastewater before adding virus attenuated this effect, producing declines of only around 1-3 logs for the infectious virus over 8 days and no significant decline for the RNA.