In the years since the first outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, over six hundred cases have been reported worldwide. Some of these outbreaks have originated in hospitals, making Legionella disinfection an essential part of the health care process in hospitals. Some of the most common methods of disinfection include copper ionization and superheating water to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. A more expensive method is superheating the water in storage tanks.
Controlling water temperature
To prevent Legionella bacteria from growing, you should control the temperature of the water in your water system. Water with temperatures ranging between 20degC and 45degC is ideal for legionella bacteria to grow. In fact, in such conditions, the bacteria can multiply quickly. Keeping water at temperatures below 20degC will stop legionella bacteria from multiplying and will also prevent them from growing in biofilms.
To control Legionella bacteria in a water system, cold water should be stored at temperatures of 20degC or less and hotwater should be distributed at around 50degC. You can also install a thermostatic mixer valve close to the outlet to prevent water at dangerous temperatures from lingering. Thermostatic mixer valves are an essential part of water systems, and they are important to the prevention of Legionella infections.
Tankless flash hot water heaters
Tankless flash hot water heaters have a number of benefits and can help you save energy and money. This is because tankless systems provide more control over water temperature and don’t contain tanks, allowing you to control water temperatures more accurately. Additionally, they can be more energy-efficient because they don’t provide a place for Legionella to reproduce. Here are some of the advantages of using tankless flash heaters.
The first method to control Legionella in hot water systems is the superheat and flush method. This method can be used intermittently or during an outbreak to control widespread contamination. However, it is important to remember that the high temperatures that kill Legionella bacteria aren’t permanent and the bacteria can re-establish themselves within a month. For this reason, tankless flash hot water heaters are better than conventional models.
Chlorine dioxide
Using chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant is an effective way to prevent Legionnaires’ Disease. But to make this solution effective, chlorine dioxide must be generated on-site. This process requires chlorine to be dissolved in water. Chlorine dioxide generators have complicated dosing systems, are expensive to purchase, and require hazardous chemicals. In addition, they require the presence of a constant supply of water to perform its disinfecting function.
In a 30-month prospective study, the efficacy of chlorine dioxide in controlling Legionella organisms was evaluated. The number of positive specimens in hot water decreased from twelve to two in ten. This reduction was only achieved after a long period of time. The use of chlorine dioxide has not been associated with any outbreaks of Legionnaires disease in the hospital. Chlorine dioxide and chlorite are used as disinfectants in public buildings and drinking water systems.
Aerosol conrol
Legionella infections are common in homes and public buildings, and the presence of bioaerosols from these bacterium is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. These bioaerosols are composed of biological particles ranging in size from individual cells to fragments. Legionella can grow in water, dust, and aerosols containing small amounts of dissolved oxygen. In addition to water, bioaerosols can contain a number of other types of microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria. The ability of Legionella to aerosolize is associated with its respiratory droplets and size distribution. Aerosolization conditions have not been well studied, though, which factors are responsible for the development of bioaerosols containing Legionella.
A common method for inhalation of Legionella bacteria is by intraperitoneal injection. An alternative to this is a tracheal instillation. In the lab, Legionella aerosol is delivered to laboratory animals via vibrating-mesh technology. The aerosol carries a concentration of 2.107 CFU/mL and the experiments are conducted in triplicate. Biological analyses of the 13-DLPI stages were also carried out in duplicate.
