Treatment FAQ

which halogen is used in water treatment to kill bacteria

by Prof. Tanner Schimmel Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Chlorine

How are halogens disinfected in drinking water?

Water supplies are disinfected through the addition or dosage of a chemical or physical agent. With a chemical agent, such as a halogen, a given dosage should theoretically impart a predetermined concentration (residual) of the active agent in the water.

What are the uses of halogens?

The halogens have uses both as elements and compounds. What are t he Uses of Chlorine? 1. Chlorine is a disinfectant - it kills bacteria (see iodine below). It is used to kill bacteria in drinking water and swimming pools. 2.

Are bacteria more resistant to halogen disinfectants?

In halogen-disinfected waters, naturally occurring bacteria can be from one to two orders of magnitude more resistant to the disinfectant than cells of the same organism that had been subcultured on conventional laboratory culture media.

Are interhalogens and halogen mixtures disinfectants?

Interhalogens and halogen mixtures as disinfectants. Pp. 113-143 in J.D. Johnson, editor. , ed. Disinfection: Water and Wastewater. Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich. 425 pp.

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Which halogen kills bacteria in water?

ChlorineChlorine is one of the most commonly used disinfectants for water disinfection.

How do halogens kill bacteria?

Halogens are very strong oxidizing substances that indiscriminately destroy the cellular protein, nucleic acid, and cell wall or membrane of microorganisms. Halogens perform disinfection through disruption of oxidative phosphorylation, which is the most important process in cell survival.

Which chemical is a halogen that kills most bacteria and can be used in drinking water?

Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water.

Which halogen is used to sterilize pools and water supplies?

ChlorineChlorine is the most common form of water disinfectant worldwide. It is used mainly in the purification of municipal water supplies.

Is chlorine a halogen?

Group 7A (or VIIA) of the periodic table are the halogens: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At). The name "halogen" means "salt former", derived from the Greek words halo- ("salt") and -gen ("formation").

Which chemical is used to control bacteria?

Halogens, including chlorine, fluorine, and iodine, are also commonly used for disinfection. Chlorine compounds, including sodium hypochlorite, chloramines, and chlorine dioxide, are commonly used for water disinfection. Iodine, in both tincture and iodophor forms, is an effective antiseptic.

What is bromine used for in water treatment?

Bromine dissociates in water by forming hypobromous acid (HBrO) which has powerful disinfectant properties, due to its ability to kill the cells of many pathogens. Bromine is effective against tough waterborne viruses, such as poliovirus, and rotaviruses as well as a wide spectrum of bacteria2.

Which is better bromine or chlorine?

Stability. While chlorine may work more quickly, bromine is more stable than chlorine, especially in warm water. Chlorine: Dissipates more quickly than bromine, and therefore needs to be replaced more often. Bromine: Kills bacteria in your spa for a longer period of time than chlorine.

Is bromine used in water?

Bromine substances are disinfectants and can be used as an alternative for chlorine. In swimming pools, bromine is used against the formation and growth of algae, bacteria and odors in swimming water. In the United States, bromine has been used since 1936 to treat swimming water.

What kind of chlorine is used in water treatment?

The three most common types of chlorine used in water treatment are: chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, and calcium hypochlorite.

Should I use chlorine or bromine in my pool?

Bromine and chlorine will sanitize and oxidize pool or spa water, but bromine works better at higher temperatures and is softer on the skin, whereas chlorine is cheaper, works for longer, and doesn't break down as quickly in ultraviolet light, especially when coupled with cyanuric acid.

What type of chlorine is used in pools?

Pools are sanitized using a variety of chlorine-based compounds including chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach), calcium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite and chlorinated isocyanurates. When any of these compounds contact water, they release hypochlorous acid (HOCl), the active sanitizing agent.

What is silver bromide used for?

and are used in photographic film. Silver bromide is almost white, and when light falls on it, it splits up into silver metal and bromine. The silver metal appears as a black mark on the film, producing a black and white ( monochrome ) negative. See also the uses of sodium chloride and potassium iodide.

What is iodine dissolved in?

Iodine dissolved in alcohol ( ethanol) was commonly used as an antiseptic in the past. It was called " Tincture of iodine ". Iodine plays an important role in the body. (see the uses of potassium iodide ).

Is iodine a disinfectant?

Iodine can also be used as an antiseptic to kill bacteria. There is a difference between an antiseptic and a disinfectant. They both kill germs but a disinfectant is stronger than an antiseptic. An antiseptic is safe to use on the skin.

What is the best disinfectant for drinking water?

Several major U.S. cities such as Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, and Washington, D.C. use chloramine to disinfect drinking water. Chloramine is recognized as a safe disinfectant and a good alternative to chlorine.

What is the process of adding chloramine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs?

Chloramination is the process of adding chloramine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs. It is sometimes used as an alternative to chlorination. Chloramines are a group of chemical compounds that contain chlorine and ammonia.

What is the EPA's water treatment system?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows drinking water treatment plants to use chloramine and chlorine to disinfect drinking water. Water system pipes develop a layer of biofilm (slime) that makes killing germs more difficult.

What is the EPA's hotline for chloramine?

EPA provides guidance for local water authorities switching to chloramine on how to minimize lead and copper levels. If you are concerned about lead or copper levels in your household water, call EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 for testing information.

Where is chloramine used?

Chloramine has been used as a drinking water disinfectant in the United States in places like Cleveland, Ohio, Springfield, Illinois, and Lansing, Michigan since 1929. In 1998, an EPA survey estimated 68 million Americans were drinking water disinfected with chloramine.

What is the purpose of water in dialysis?

During dialysis, large amounts of water are used to clean waste products out of a patient’s blood. Dialysis centers must treat the water to remove all chemical disinfectants, including chlorine and chloramine, before the water can be used for dialysis.

What is the normal level of disinfection?

A normal level for drinking water disinfection can range from 1.0 to 4.0 mg/L. Your water company monitors water quality regularly to provide you with safe drinking water. Some people are more sensitive than others to chemicals and changes in their environment.

Which method is used to disinfect water supplies?

Assessment of the reduction in microbes that is sufficient to protect against the transmission of pathogens in water is discussed below. Chlorination is the most widely used method for disinfecting water supplies in the United States.

What is the best way to disinfect water?

The method of choice for disinfecting water for human consumption depends on a variety of factors (Symons et al., 1977). These include: 1 its efficacy against waterborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and helminths); 2 the accuracy with which the process can be monitored and controlled; 3 its ability to produce a residual that provides an added measure of protection against possible posttreatment contamination resulting from faults in the distribution system; 4 the aesthetic quality of the treated water; and 5 the availability of the technology for the adoption of the method on the scale that is required for public water supplies.

What is chlorine dioxide used for?

In England, Italy, and Switzerland, it is used for disinfection of water supplies. The Chemistry of Chlorine Dioxide in Water. Chlorine dioxide reacts with a wide variety of organic and inorganic chemicals under conditions that are usually found in water treatment systems (Stevens et al., 1978).

What is the most significant member of the coliform group?

The most significant member of this group (currently called the coliform group) is Escherichia coli. Since the late nineteenth century, this coliform group has served as an indicator of the degree of fecal contamination of water, and E. colihas been used routinely as a disinfection model for enteric pathogens.

What is the goal of disinfecting public water?

The goal of disinfection of public water supplies is the elimination of the pathogens that are responsible ...

What is the bulk of nonparticulate organic material in raw water?

The bulk of the nonparticulate organic material in raw water occurs as naturally derived humic substances, i.e., humic, fulvic, and hymatomelanic acids, which contribute to color in water. The structure of these molecules is not yet fully understood.

What diseases can be controlled with treatment?

The transmission of diseases such as typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, cholera, salmonellosis, and shigellosis can be controlled with treatments that substantially reduce the total number of viable microorganisms in the water.

Which bacteria are most responsible for the elimination of organic elements and nutrients?

In municipal wastewater treatment plants, for example, gram-negative bacteria of the proteobacteria type are predominant (21-65%) of which Betaproteobacteria is the most abundant class, largely responsible for the elimination of organic elements and nutrients.

How to solve the presence of undesirable bacteria?

First, the solution consists of extracting as much sludge as possible and increasing aeration. The good bacteria can take several days to recover the environment.

What is biological wastewater treatment?

Biological wastewater treatment is the most common sanitation method in the world. This technology uses different types of bacteria and other microorganisms for the treatment and purification of polluted water. Wastewater treatment is as essential to human health as it is to the protection of the environment.

How does floc work?

The technique consists in recirculating a well-adapted combination of substrate and selected bacteria so that they settle very quickly. Under these favorable conditions, bacteria develop flocs or biofilms very quickly. Under these favorable conditions, bacteria develop flocs or biofilms very quickly.

Why is wastewater treatment important?

Wastewater treatment is as essential to human health as it is to the protection of the environment. The use of these bacteria accelerates the process of treating pollution on a small surface: the wastewater treatment plant.

How long does it take for bacteria to colonize the environment?

The colonization of an environment by the needed bacteria and microorganisms necessary for the purification generally lasts between 4 and 8 weeks. Once again, it is the temperature that has the most influence on this growth time.

What is lipophilic bacteria?

Lipophilic bacteria are specialized in the decomposition of animal and vegetable fats and oils in urban WWTPs and industrial treatment plants. These bacteria are easily adaptable to all current treatment systems.

How to remove bacteria from water?

Bacteria can be removed from water through chlorine, UV disinfection, and ozonation. Chlorination is widely used by municipalities to remove bacteria from city water supplies. Many well owners also use chlorine to “shock” their wells and eliminate any bacteria present.

What is the best way to treat bacteria in water?

UV Disinfection. One of the most popular, prevalent, and reliable methods of residential bacteria treatment is ultraviolet purification. Ultraviolet light neutralizes the DNA of bacteria, preventing them from reproducing in the water.

How does ozone work in water?

Ozone is a powerful and unique water disinfectant. Ozone is extremely germicidal, and rapidly destroys any waterborne viruses and bacteria with nearly unmatched speed. Like chlorine, ozone oxidizes the bacteria and protozoa upon contact. The ozone penetrates the cell walls of the microorganisms, rupturing them on a structural level. Unlike UV disinfection, there is no reduced flow rate or extended contact time required. After shocking a well with chlorine, the chlorine must sit overnight to ensure that it has properly dismantled all the pathogens present in your water supply. Ozone, commonly seen in the house as ozonated faucets, works in a matter of minutes. Ozone is also capable of handily eliminating inorganic matter, as well as micro-pollutants like pesticides and herbicides. Ozone can also eliminate other water contaminants like iron, sulfur, and manganese.

What is the most common waterborne parasite?

Like Giardia, Cryptosporidium is a waterborne microscopic parasite found prevalently around the world. In fact, Giardia and Cryptosporidium (often referred to as just “Crypto”) are the two most common disease-causing waterborne parasites. Cryptosporidium bacteria will reside in the intestine of a human, causing a condition known as cryptosporidiosis. This mild gastrointestinal illness causes diarrhea, dehydration, fever, nausea, and weight loss. For those who possess compromised immune systems or preexisting health conditions, this infection can spread to other areas of the digestive and respiratory tract. When contracted by people with fragile or weakened immunities, cryptosporidiosis can develop into a chronic illness with serious health implications.

How does chlorine disinfect water?

Chlorine is used by water treatment centers across the globe to disinfect water supplies and eliminate waterborne pathogens from drinking water. Chlorine can be easily added at large scales, carefully measured, and behaves predictably, making it a widely popular disinfection choice. When chlorine comes in contact with bacteria, it breaks down the chemical bonds on a molecular level. When chlorine is added to water, a weak acid is formed. This acid, called hypochlorous acid, penetrates the negative charge of bacteria’s cell walls, destroying the microorganism from the inside out. In low and controlled doses, it is harmless to consume. While chlorine does leave a lingering chemical aftertaste to water, the water’s taste can be easily improved by a carbon filter.

What is Legionella in freshwater?

Legionella are pathogenic bacteria that thrive in warmer temperature waters and are found naturally in freshwater streams, lakes, and other surface waters. If inhaled, Legionella causes a pneumonia-like illness known as a Legionnaires disease. It is also responsible for a disease called Pontiac Fever, a mild flu-like sickness. Legionella grows faster in warm waters, which can make it more difficult to neutralize with chemical disinfectants like chlorine.

What are the organisms that live in water?

While water can be home to a wide array of microbiological organisms, protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium and bacteria like E. coli, shigella, and salmonella are among the organisms that cause the most common concern. Water can also transport viruses, like the rotavirus and the norovirus. Water is the universal solvent, collecting everything ...

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Apparatus

  • To be completed in pairs. Apparatus quoted is per pair. 1. One prepared agar plate 2. A pair of tweezers 3. A marker pen that will write on plastic 4. Graph paper 5. Paper discs soaked in each halogen 6. Access to a Bunsen burner and heat mat 7. A small beaker of ethanol, kept away fro…
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Hazards

  • Teachers and technicians are advised to carry out their own risk assessments guided by school procedures and the protocols outlined by local advisory bodies such as CLEAPSS/SSERC. This experiment should be carried out in a well-ventilated lab. Halogen solutions may release small amounts of gases, however at the volumes and concentrations in this experiment this is unlikel…
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Method

  • 1. Collect your agar plate. 2. On a piece of graph paper draw around the bottom of your plate and cut out the circle of paper. a. Divide the circle of paper into 3 portions with a pen. b. Label each portion Cl2, Br2 and I2as shown in the diagram. c. Secure it to the bottom of your agar plate with sticky tape and/or a couple of dots of glue. 3. Sterilise your tweezers by dipping them in ethanol …
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Analysis of Results

  • Your teacher will return your agar plate. Bacteria should have grown on the plate except in places where the substances on the discs have acted as antibacterials. Look for areas on your plate around the paper discs that show no bacterial growth, where you can still see through the agar to the graph paper below. This is called a zone of inhibition. Look at each of the paper circles. Cou…
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Conclusion and Questions

  • 1. The aim of this experiment was to find out which aqueous halogen, chlorine, bromine or iodine is best at acting as an antibacterial. Write a conclusion for your experiment, remembering to refer to your results. 2. State some limitations of your conclusion. 3. Consider a water storage tank for a small village. Draw a table and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each halogen fo…
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