A comparison between ultraviolet disinfection and copper alginate beads within a vortex bioreactor for the deactivation of bacteria in simulated waste streams with high levels of colour, humic acid and suspended solids

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 26;9(12):e115688. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115688. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

We show in this study that the combination of a swirl flow reactor and an antimicrobial agent (in this case copper alginate beads) is a promising technique for the remediation of contaminated water in waste streams recalcitrant to UV-C treatment. This is demonstrated by comparing the viability of both common and UV-C resistant organisms in operating conditions where UV-C proves ineffective - notably high levels of solids and compounds which deflect UV-C. The swirl flow reactor is easy to construct from commonly available plumbing parts and may prove a versatile and powerful tool in waste water treatment in developing countries.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alginates / toxicity*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / toxicity*
  • Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Bacteria / radiation effects
  • Bioreactors / microbiology*
  • Biotechnology / instrumentation
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Disinfection / methods*
  • Glucuronic Acid / toxicity
  • Hexuronic Acids / toxicity
  • Humic Substances
  • Microspheres
  • Suspensions
  • Ultraviolet Rays*

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Humic Substances
  • Suspensions
  • Glucuronic Acid

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants awarded to MJA from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1044451, OPP1095464). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Protein Technologies Ltd and PML Applications provided support in the form of salaries for authors PG, ST, FR, PM, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.