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The effect of free chlorine on Burkholderia pseudomallei in potable water
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The effect of free chlorine on Burkholderia pseudomallei in potable water

K. Howard and T.J.J. Inglis
Water Research, Vol.37(18), pp.4425-4432
2003
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Abstract

Chlorine is widely used in public water supplies to provide a disinfection barrier. The effect of chlorine disinfection on the water-borne pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei was assessed using multiple techniques. After exposure to chlorine viable bacteria were undetectable by conventional plate count techniques; however, persistence of B. pseudomallei was verified by flow cytometry and bacteria were recoverable following a simple one-step broth procedure. The minimum residual chlorine concentration and contact time as prescribed by potable water providers in Australia was insufficient to reduce a B. pseudomallei population by more than 2 log10. Chlorine had a bacteriostatic effect only on B. pseudomallei; viable bacteria were recovered from water containing up to 1000 ppm free chlorine. This finding has practical implications for water treatment in regions where B. pseudomallei is endemic. Future work to assess the effect of alternative water disinfection processes either singly or in sequence is necessary.

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Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.42 Bacteriology
1.42.1934 Burkholderia Infections
Web Of Science research areas
Engineering, Environmental
Environmental Sciences
Water Resources
ESI research areas
Environment/Ecology
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