Removal of bacteria Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis by (super)cavitation

Andrej Šarc (Author), Janez Kosel (Author), David Stopar (Author), Martina Oder (Author), Matevž Dular (Author)

Abstract

In sufficient concentrations, the pathogenic bacteria L. pneumophila can cause a respiratory illness that is known as the "Legionnaires" disease. Moreover, toxic Shiga strains of bacteria E. coli can cause life-threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Because of the recent restrictions imposed on the usage of chlorine, outbreaks of these two bacterial species have become more common. In this study we have developed a novel rotation generator and its effectiveness against bacteria Legionella pneumophila and Escherichia coli was tested for various types of hydrodynamic cavitation (attached steady cavitation, developed unsteady cavitation and supercavitation). The results show that the supercavitation was the only effective form of cavitation. It enabled more than 3 logs reductions for both bacterial species and was also effective against a more persistent Gram positive bacteria, B. subtilis. The deactivation mechanism is at present unknown. It is proposed that when bacterial cells enter a supercavitation cavity, an immediate pressure drop occurs and this results in bursting of the cellular membrane. The new rotation generator that induced supercavitation proved to be economically and microbiologically far more effective than the classical Venturi section (super)cavitation.

Keywords

cavitation;supercavitation;bacteria;E. coli;L. pneumophila;B. subtilis;rotational cavitation generator;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2018
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
UDC:	621.643:579.841:614:532.528(045)
COBISS:	15787803
ISSN:	1350-4177
Views:	862
Downloads:	253
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary keywords:	kavitacija;superkavitacija;bakterije;E. coli;L. pneumophila;B. subtilis;rotacijski kavitacijski generator;
Embargo end date (OpenAIRE):	2020-04-01
Pages:	str. 228-236
Issue:	ǂVol. ǂ42
Chronology:	Apr. 2018
DOI:	10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.11.004
ID:	10915610