Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography
Open Access

Abstract

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of monochloramine on the occurrence and quantity of Legionella spp., L. pneumophila, Vermamoeba vermiformis, Mycobacterium spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa estimated using qPCR at 16 point of use locations in a hospital before and after installation of a building-size monochloramine system. Monochloramine was operated with the parameters recommended by the manufacturer, maintained detectable concentrations at every site and monitored. Generally, significant reductions of mean values of monthly detections were found for all the targeting organisms. The reductions (occurrence %/mean quantity CE L-1) are as follows from high to low: P. aeruginosa (from 34/1.41Ã?Â?104 to 1/3Ã?Â?100), L. pneumophila serogroup 1 (from 86/9.34Ã?Â?103 to 34/4.1Ã?Â?101), Legionella spp. (from 88/1.26Ã?Â?104 to 42/4.01Ã?Â?102), Mycobacterium spp. (from 92/1.42Ã?Â?106 to 65/6.17Ã?Â?105) and V. vermiformis (from 75/1.33Ã?Â?103 to 18/5.45Ã?Â?102). We concluded that monochloramine was effective for reduction of Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and P. aeruginosa to a low or undetectable level, but was less or insignificant reduction for V. vermiformis and Mycobacterium spp.

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