Thesis (MSc Food Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Fresh produce irrigation water from Western Cape Rivers carries faecal coliforms (FC) (Escherichia coli) at concentrations which often exceed the suggested limit of 1 000 FC per 100 mL and presents a health risk to consumers. On-farm ultraviolet (UV) irradiation presents several advantages for water disinfection but is an uncommon practice in South Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of UV irradiation for river water disinfection prior to irrigation.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains were exposed to low-pressure (LP) UV (4 mJ.cm-2) and UV/Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (4 mJ.cm-2/20 mg.L-1) treatments in Sterile Saline Solution (SSS). Strain variation in reductions was observed and ranged from 1.58 to 3.68 and 1.34 to 3.60 log for the UV and UV/H2O2 treatments, respectively. The UV/H2O2 treatment (4 mJ.cm-2/20 mg.L-1) was more effective, compared to UV singly, against some of the E. coli strains. Selected strains showed increased sensitivity at higher UV doses (8, 10 and 13 mJ.cm-2) and H2O2 concentrations (100 and 200 mg.L-1 with 4 mJ.cm-2) but a 3 log target reduction was not always reached. For all UV and UV/H2O2 treatments maximum resistance was shown by an environmental strain. Reference strains should, therefore, not be used for the optimisation of UV based disinfection parameters. At 10 mJ.cm-2 an American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) reference strain and an environmental strain (ATCC 25922 and F11.2) were both significantly less inactivated in sterilised river water compared to SSS. Enhanced water quality allowed for improved inactivation of the ATCC strain. Also, the efficiency of LP UV (5, 7 and 10 mJ.cm-2) and medium-pressure (MP) UV (13, 17 and 24 mJ.cm-2) radiation was investigated using water from the Plankenburg River. Water was sampled and treated on three respective days (Trials 1 to 3). Physico-chemical and microbiological water quality was always poor. The FC concentration reached a maximum of 6.41 log cfu.100 mL-1 while UV transmission was always below 38%. For LP and MP UV irradiation increased doses resulted in increased disinfection but a 3 log reduction of FC was only attained when MP UV light was used in Trial 1. Disinfection efficiency was dependent on water quality and on the characteristics of the microbial population in the water. Since FC were never reduced to below 3 log cfu.100 mL-1, the water did not adhere to guidelines for produce irrigation. Photo-repair following irradiation was investigated in river water using MP UV doses of 13 and 24 mJ.cm-2 and 3.5 kLux reactivating light, initially. Ultraviolet transmission was close to 50% and total coliform (TC) reduction exceeded 3 log, even at 13 mJ.cm-2. However, TC were reactivated from below 1 000 cfu.100.mL-1 to 3.93 and 4.41 log cfu.100 mL-1 for the 13 and 24 mJ.cm-2 treatments, respectively. A higher MP dose (40 mJ.cm-2) and a different treatment regime (2 x 20 mJ.cm-2) inhibited photo-repair (compared to 13 and 24 mJ.cm-2) but TC were always recovered to a final concentration surpassing 3 log cfu.100 mL-1, even under lower light intensities (1.0 to 2.0 kLux). In the current study UV irradiation did not produce water of acceptable standards for produce irrigation, mainly as a result of extremely poor water quality. However, on farm-scale, UV efficiency could be enhanced by improving water quality before irradiation. Also, stronger lamps that deliver higher UV doses may result in adequate disinfection, irrespective of water quality. Higher UV doses and the use of combination treatments (such as UV/Chlorine and UV/Peracetic acid) should be further investigated also to determine its disinfection efficiency and possible capability to inhibit post-disinfection repair. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Varsproduk besproeiingswater vanuit Wes-Kaapse riviere bevat fekale kolivorme (FK) (Escherichia coli) in konsentrasies wat dikwels die voorgestelde limiet van 1 000 FK per 100 mL oorskry en hou `n gesondheidsrisiko vir verbruikers in. Plaasvlak ultraviolet (UV) bestraling bied verskeie voordele met verwysing na water dekontaminering, maar word selde aangewend in Suid-Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die gebruik van UV bestraling vir die dekontaminering van rivierwater, voor besproeiing, te ondersoek.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolate is blootgestel aan lae-druk (LD) UV (4 mJ.cm-2) en UV/Waterstofperoksied (H2O2) (4 mJ.cm-2/20 mg.L-1) behandelings in Steriele Sout Oplossing (SSO). Isolaat variasie in reduksies is waargeneem en het gewissel tussen 1.58 tot 3.68 en 1.34 tot 3.60 log vir die UV en UV/H2O2 behandelings, onderskeidelik. In vergelyking met UV bestraling alleen was die UV/H2O2 behandeling (4 mJ.cm-2/20 mg.L-1) meer effektief teen sommige E. coli isolate. Geselekteerde isolate was meer sensitief tot hoër UV dosisse (8, 10 en 13 mJ.cm-2) en H2O2 konsentrasies (100 en 200 mg.L-1 met 4 mJ.cm-2), maar `n 3 log teikenreduksie was nie altyd haalbaar nie. Vir alle UV en UV/H2O2 behandlinge was die meeste weerstand deur `n omgewingsisolaat gebied. Verwysingsisolate behoort daarom nie aangewend te word vir die optimisering van UV-gebaseerde behandelingsparameters nie. By 10 mJ.cm-2 was beide `n ATCC verwysingsisolaat en `n omgewingsisolaat (ATCC 25922 en F11.2) betekenisvol minder gedeaktiveer in rivierwater as in SSO. Verbeterde waterkwaliteit het verhoogde inaktivering van die ATCC isolaat toegelaat. Die doeltreffendheid van LD UV (5, 7 en 10 mJ.cm-2) en medium-druk (MD) UV (13, 17 en 24 mJ.cm-2) bestraling is ook ondersoek deur watermonsters vanuit die Plankenburg Rivier te gebruik. Watermonsters was getrek en behandel op drie verskillende dae (Proewe 1 tot 3). Fisies-chemiese en mikrobiologiese kwaliteit van die water was deurentyd swak. Die FK konsentrasie het `n maksimum van 6.41 log kve.100 mL-1 bereik terwyl UV transmissie altyd laer as 38% was. Vir beide LD en MD UV bestraling het verhoogde dosisse gelei tot verbeterde dekontaminering, maar `n 3 log reduksie is slegs bereik toe MD UV lig gebruik is in Proef 1. Die effektiwiteit van die behandelings was afhanklik van waterkwaliteit en die eienskappe van die mikrobiese populasie in die water. Aangesien FK nooit tot onder 3 log kve.100 mL-1 verminder is nie het die water nie voldoen aan riglyne vir varsproduk-besproeiing nie.
Fotoherstel na bestraling was ondersoek in rivierwater deur aanvanklik gebruik te maak van MD UV dosisse van 13 en 24 mJ.cm-2 en 3.5 kLux heraktiverende lig. Ultraviolettransmissie het byna 50% bereik en reduksie van totale kolivorme (TK) het 3 log oorskry, selfs by 13 mJ.cm-2. Totale kolivorme was egter geheraktiveer van onder 1 000 kve.100.mL-1 tot 3.93 en 4.41 log kve.100 mL-1 vir die 13 en 24 mJ.cm-2 behandelings, onderskeidelik. In vergelyking met 13 en 24 mJ.cm-2 het `n hoër MD dosis (40 mJ.cm-2) en `n veranderde bestralingstegniek (2 x 20 mJ.cm-2) fotoherstel onderdruk, maar TK was in elke geval geheraktiveer tot `n finale konsentrasie hoër as 3 log kve.100 mL-1, selfs onder laer intensiteit lig (1.0 tot 2.0 kLux).
In hierdie ondersoek het UV bestraling nie water van aanvaarbare standaarde vir varsproduk besproeiing gelewer nie, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van swak waterkwaliteit. Nietemin, op plaasvlak mag die effektiwiteit van UV bestraling verhoog word deur waterkwaliteit voor bestraling te verbeter. Die gebruik van sterker lampe, om hoër UV dosisse te produseer, mag verder bydra tot voldoende dekontaminasie, ongeag van waterkwaliteit. Hoër UV dosisse en die gebruik van kombinasie behandelinge (soos UV/Chloor en UV/Perasynsuur) moet ook verder ondersoek word om die dekontaminasie effektiwiteit, en vermoë daarvan om heraktivering na dekontaminering te onderdruk, vas te stel.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/97970 |
Date | 13 November 2015 |
Creators | Olivier, Francois |
Contributors | Sigge, G. O., Lamprecht, C., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Food Science. |
Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
Language | en_ZA |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis |
Format | xi, 177 pages : illustrations (some colour) |
Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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