Disinfection

Noun
The process of “cleaning” something, especially with a
chemical or physical means, in order to destroy pathogenic
microorganism.
Lesson Outcomes

 Able to explain the purposes of disinfection process

 Able to discuss the types of disinfectant
 Able to discuss the mechanism of disinfectant
What is the disinfection theory?

 Is the final stage of water treatment process

 Involve the process of the removal, deactivation or killing of
pathogenic microorganisms.
 ➔ resulting in termination of their growth and reproduction
What is the disinfection theory?

 After filtration, the following impurities still can be found in water and
need to be treated well:
 Microorganism such as Bacteria, viruses, protozoa etc
 Dissolved minerals & salts
 Colour, odour and taste
 Trace elements such as iron and manganese
 The substance which is used as disinfection (on non living tissue) are
called as disinfectant. (antiseptic)
Disinfection Mechanism

 Disinfectants can act on microorganisms in two different ways:

 growth inhibition
 lethal action (kill)
 Only the lethal effects are of interest in disinfection.
Disinfection
Mechanism
 Damage of bacteria cell wall by blockage
of cell wall synthesis
 Blockage of enzyme* active sites ➔
prevents binding of substrate = no product
 penetrate cells by diffusion (high to low
conc). Within the cell, disinfectant affects
several enzyme types
 Nuclei cell destruction (lysis)
 Oxidizing disinfectant demolish organic
matter ➔ lack of nutrients
*biological molecules aiding in digestion and
metabolism
Factors affecting disinfection
efficiency
1. Type of microorganism
 Different type of microorganism develop self natural resistance, thus specific
disinfectant is required for specific microorganism.
2. Concentration of disinfection.
 Lethal effect to microorganism related to concentration of disinfectant up
to the optimum concentration.
3. Biofilm or Turbidity
 Microorganisms may be protected from disinfectants by production of
thick layer outside cell body
4. Water hardness
 magnesium, calcium in the hard water can interact with the disinfectant to
form insoluble precipitates
Factors affecting disinfection
efficiency
5. Increase of temperature
 The activity of most disinfectants increases as the temperature
increases.
6. Duration of Exposure
 Expose to the microorganism for the appropriate minimum contact
time.
7. pH
 Increase or decrease of pH improves the disinfectant activity
Disinfection Media

 Can be done by chemical and physical method

 Chemical
 Chlorine (Cl2), Chlorine dioxide (ClO2), Hypo chlorite (OCl-)
 breaking the chemical bonds
 Ozone (O3)
 Cell wall destruction
 Physical
 Ultraviolet light (UV)
 destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA
 Heat
 Microorganism are killed at T > 100 C
Chlorine
Building
How does chlorine disinfection
work?
 Chlorine is a compound which can exchange atoms with other
compounds:
 such as enzymes in bacteria and other cells.
 When enzymes come in contact with chlorine, one or more of the
hydrogen atoms in the molecule are replaced by chlorine.
 This causes the entire molecule to change shape or fall apart.
 When enzymes do not function properly, a cell or bacterium will die.
How does chlorine disinfection
work?
 When chlorine gas is added to water, Hypochlorous acids form:
Cl2 + H2O ➔ HOCl + H+ + Cl-

 Depending on the pH value, Hypochlorous acid partly expires to

hypochlorite ions:
HOCl + H2O ➔ H3O+ + OCl-

 This falls apart to chlorine and oxygen atoms:

OCl- ➔ Cl- + O
How does chlorine disinfection
work?
 Hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions are known as free chlorine
 They are strong oxidizers, and are the primary disinfection agents.
 Hypochlorous acid is more reactive and is a stronger disinfectant than
hypochlorite ion.
 This free chlorine will react with protein amino, nuclei, DNA, RNA and lipid of
the microorganism.
 E. coli exposed to free chlorine lose its viability in less than 0.1 seconds due
to inactivation of many vital systems.
Dosage of Chlorine

 Before the exact dosage of chlorine is used, a series of test should

be conducted to determine the “chlorine breakpoint”
 This point will determine how much dosage of chlorine is required to
meet the initial chlorine demand, before free chlorine is available to
disinfect the microorganism at later stage.
 The term free chlorine residual means “residual or balance of
chlorine available to disinfect the microorganism”.
Breakpoint
Chlorination
 When chlorine is added to
water, it immediately begins
to oxidize dissolved metals (Fe
& Mn) which reduce chlorine
content
 At point A ( No residual
chlorine)
Breakpoint
Chlorination
 As more chlorine is
added, it also reacts
with inorganics and
nitrogen producing
Chloramines
 As from A to B
 Has disinfection
ability
Breakpoint
Chlorination
 As more chlorine is
added, it also reacts
with Chloramines
too until chloramines
depleted
 As from B to C
known as Breakpoint
Chlorination point
Breakpoint
Chlorination
 Breakpoint chlorination
consists of a continual
addition of chlorine to
the water up to the point
where the chlorine
demand is met and all
present ammonia is
oxidized, so that only free
chlorine remains
Breakpoint Chlorination

 The dose has to be high enough for a significant amount of chlorine

to remain in the water for disinfection and to preserve disinfection in
the main distribution pipe.
 Thank You
Any Questions?