Effect of particles and bioflocculation on ultraviolet disinfection of Escherichia coli

Presence of particles is known to decrease the effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection by shielding the targeted microorganisms from UV light. This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding on the effect of particles and flocs on UV disinfection by using a stable, well-defined and well-controlled synthetic system that can simulate the bioflocculation of particles and microorganisms in water and wastewater samples. The synthetic system was created by using Escherichia coli, latex particles (1, 3.2, 11, 25, and 45 mu m), alginate, and divalent cations; and the bioflocculation of particles was achieved naturally, as it would occur in the environment, without using chemical coagulants. E. coli was quantified before and after UV disinfection using membrane filtration. Even in the absence of particles, some of the self-aggregated E. coli could survive a UV dose of 90 mJ/cm(2). E. coli inactivation levels measured in the presence of particles were lower than the inactivation levels measured in the absence of particles. At low UV doses (<9 mJ/cm(2)), neither particle size nor degree of flocculation had a significant effect on the inactivation of E. coli. Particle size had a significant effect on the inactivation of E. coli only at high UV doses (80 mJ/cm(2)), and larger particles (e.g., 25 mu m) protected bacteria more compared to smaller particles (e.g., 3.2 and 11 mu m). What size of particles flocs were made of (3.2, 11, and 25 mu m) did not make a significant difference on the inactivation levels of E. coli. For 3.2 mu m particles, there was no significant difference in E. coli inactivation between non-flocculated and flocculated samples at any UV dose. For 11 and 25 mu m particles, there was a significant difference in E. coli inactivation between non-flocculated and flocculated samples at 80 mJ/cm(2). Degree of flocculation became a significant factor in determining the number of surviving bacteria only at high UV doses and only for larger particles. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.