Scientists propose new method for disinfection of water supply facilities, reports NUST MISIS

MOSCOW, November 17, 2021 / PRNewswire / – Scientists from NUST MISIS and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a new approach for disinfecting surfaces of water supply facilities such as water wells, filters, pipes and tanks. They found that ozone treatment is more effective in inactivating viruses and microorganisms than commonly used hypochlorite treatments from a corrosion, economic and environmental perspective. . The study was published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

At least once a year, drinking water installations are decontaminated by surface disinfection treatments to inactivate pathogens and microorganisms. Disinfection is usually carried out using substances containing chlorine, such as sodium and calcium hypochlorite. A Russian-Swedish research team found that sodium and hypochlorite treatments can lead to accelerated degradation of materials, leading to increased corrosion even after the treatment period if disinfectants get trapped in micropores or cracks. . The degradation of the internal surface of the pipes can, in turn, lead to an increase in the iron released into tap water, making it unsafe to use for drinking or cooking.

“Ozone is increasingly used for decontaminating water. However, it is rarely used for surface disinfection despite its many technological, economic and environmental advantages. Noted Valentin Romanovsky, Principal Investigator at the Center for Research on Structural Ceramic Nanomaterials, NUST MISIS.

Scientists from NUST MISIS and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology have found that using ozone solutions instead of chlorine-based disinfectants significantly reduces the risk of corrosion, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of iron released into the water. ‘tap water. Ozone treatment has been found to have the lowest negative impact on the environment and human health. Another important aspect to consider is the processing time, which in practice means stopping the production of drinking water. If it is time consuming and requires handling chemicals, rinsing and waste effluent, surface disinfection treatment will be more often delayed and less preferred. Ozone solutions require the shortest treatment time (30 min) compared to 6 to 24 hours for chlorine based treatments.

Link: https://en.misis.ru/university/news/science/2021-11/7652/

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SOURCE The National university of science and technology MISiS