Sustained elimination of legionella in drinking water systems is only possible when combined with combating biofilm in pipes.
Biofilm are layers of microorganisms and extra cellular substances. These, often slimy or fungal-type layers, are inhabited by legionella bacteria, which multiply well in this environment. The main problem: biofilms are extremely resistant to disinfectants. For this reason, legionella bacteria prove themselves to be extremely resistant to common disinfecting methods, since the biofilm protects them against attack from chemicals. All aimed directly at destroying legionella alone, are therefore not permanent and do not solve the problem.
Chlorine dioxide is the most effective weapon that can be used in drinking water for fighting biofilm, legionella, pseudomonad's and other pathogenic bacteria simultaneously. As a gas released in water, it is able to penetrate the protective layers of slime-forming microorganisms, which leads not only to growth inhibition of biofilm, but also to its gradual removal from all pipe-work. In so doing, its main advantage is that as a disinfectant it meets the requirements of drinking water regulations and so continual dosing is possible. In this way, very small concentrations can achieve freedom from legionella in the medium term and sustain this in the long term. Unlike other disinfectants, there is no concern about resistance developing. The excellent deposit effect of Chlorine Dioxide even protects pipelines, which are not in continual use.
The efficiency of fighting legionella with Chlorine dioxide depends absolutely on optimizing the application of concentrations at different points in the water system being treated. Chlorine dioxide plants from the ProMinent Bello Zon® product series supply extremely pure chlorine dioxide in quantities which can be continually reproduced. Both the chlorine dioxide concentration and the chlorite concentration as a by-product of the treatment process are continually metered using DULCOTEST® sensors. In this way compliance with the prescribed threshold values of drinking water regulations are guaranteed at all times.
Advantages
- Reliable, sustained destruction of legionella, pseudomonads and other bacteria
- Breakdown of biofilm in all conduction systems
- Cost-effect cleansing of infected warm and cold water systems
- The highest microbiological effectiveness while complying with drinking water regulations
- No resistance build-up
- Combating legionella without operational interruption
- Reliable online control
As the market leader for Chloride Dioxide plants in the food industry, ProMinent has years of know how. We are able to provide customer-specific solutions, even for fighting legionella in drinking water pipes, where safety, reliability and economy are always the main concern.
The customer’s voice
“Thanks to chlorine dioxide technology by ProMinent, the fouling rate at all sampling points in our wide ranging network could be reduced to zero ! Legionella is no longer a danger to our hospital."
Peter Leonards
Hygiene Specialist of the Hospital "Mutterhaus der Borromäerinnen" in Trier (Germany) |