factors that influence water disinfection

CT:
This stands for the contact time between disinfectant and microorganism and the
concentration of disinfectant. CT is used to calculate how much disinfectant is required to
adequately disinfect water. C refers to the final residual concentration of a particular
chemical disinfectant in mg/L. T refers to the minimum contact time (minutes) of material
that is disinfected with the disinfectant. Therefore, the units of CT are expressed in mg
min/L.
CT = disinfectant concentration x contact time = C mg/L x T minutes
!hen a particular disinfectant is added to water, it does not only react with pathogenic
microorganisms, but also with other impurities, such as soluble metals, particles of organic
matter and other microorganisms. The utili"ation of a disinfectant for reactions with these
substances ma#e up the disinfection demand of the water. The disinfection demand must
first be satisfied, before a residual disinfectant concentration can be established. The
disinfectant concentration that has to be added to water is made up by the sum of the
disinfection demand and the residual disinfectant concentration. $nce there is a residual
disinfectant concentration, this residual concentration has to be maintained during the
required contact time to #ill pathogenic microorganisms. To adequately disinfect the water
it is therefore required to supply the water with a higher disinfectant concentration than the
concentration required to #ill pathogenic microorganisms.
%sually a dose of &''( mg/L chlorine is required to result in a free chlorine residual
concentration of )* mg/L. The time required to deacti+ate a particular microorganism
decreases when the applied disinfectant concentration (mg/L) is increased. Laboratory tests
are conducted, to find out which contact time is most effecti+e.
The CT is commonly used to determine the affecti+ity of a particular disinfectant against a
certain microorganism under specified conditions. There is a difference between the relati+e
affecti+ity of chemical disinfectants against different microorganisms. $ften a certain le+el
is added to the CT, for example ,,-. This means that ,,- of the microorganisms are
deacti+ated by the disinfectant. CT can be used to compare the affecti+ity of +arious
disinfectants against microorganisms (table 1).
.ccording to table &, o"one is the most effecti+e disinfectant/ the CT +alue of o"one is +ery
low. Chloramines are least effecti+e en cannot be used against 0iardia Lambia. Chlorine is
effecti+e against 1. coli bacteria and 2olio +irus. The CT +alue of chlorine used against
0iardia Lambia is a lot higher than that of chlorine used against 1. Coli bacteria and 2olio
+irus.
Table 1. Comparison of CT values for the 99% inactivaton of microorganisms at 5 C
Organism
Free chlorine
(pH 6!"
Chloramines
(pH #$"
Chlorine
dioxide
(pH 6!"
O%one
(pH 6!"
E. coli bacteria (,(34 (,(5 ,5 &*( (,4 (,65 (,('
Polio virus &,& ',5 66( 364( (,' ),6 (,& (,'
iar!ia lambia
c"st
46 &5( (,5 (,)
The t&pe of microorganism
7isinfectants can effecti+ely #ill pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, +iruses and
parasites). 8ome microorganisms can be resistant. 1. coli bacteria, for example, are more
resistant to disinfectants than other bacteria and are therefore used as indicator organisms.
8e+eral +iruses are e+en more resistant than 1. coli. The absence of 1. coli bacteria does
not mean that the water is safe. 2roto"oan parasites li#e Cryptosporidium and 0iardia are
+ery resistant to chlorine.
The age of the microorganism
The affecti+ity of a particular disinfectant also depends upon the age of the microorganism.
9oung bacteria are easier to #ill than older bacteria. !hen bacteria grow older, they de+elop
a polysaccharide shell o+er their cell wall, which ma#es them more resistant to
disinfectants. !hen ',( mg/L chlorine is used, the required contact time to deacti+ate
bacteria that are &( days old is 3( minutes. :or bacteria of the same species and of the age
of & day & minute, contact time is sufficient. ;acterial spores can be +ery resistant. <ost
disinfectants are not effecti+e against bacterial spores.
'ater that re(uires treatment
The nature of the water that requires treatment has its influence on the disinfection.
<aterials in the water, for example iron, manganese, hydrogen sulphide and nitrates often
react with disinfectants, which disturbs disinfection. Turbidity of the water also reduces the
affecti+ity of disinfection. <icroorganisms are protected against disinfection by turbidity.
Temperature
The temperature also influences the affecti+ity of disinfection. =ncreasing temperatures
usually increases the speed of reactions and of disinfection. =ncreasing temperatures can
also decrease disinfection, because the disinfectant falls apart or is +olati"ed
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