Inactivation kinetics of coxsacieviurs B5 with free chlorine

Abstract

The World Health Organization’s “Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality” has identified safe drinking water as essential to health and a human right. Disinfection by chlorination is commonly used for drinking water purification in the United States, but the chlorine dose required to inactivate certain viruses remains unknown. One such virus is coxsackievirus. Coxsackievirus, along with other enteroviruses, causes a significant number of infections in the United States. These infections can prove fatal to those with relatively weak immune systems (children, the elderly, women in pregnancy, etc.). This research investigates the free chlorine exposure required to effectively inactivate coxsackievirus B5 in drinking water as a function of pH and temperature and to compare those values with the corresponding US Environmental Protection Agency regulations for enteric viruses as a group. It is hoped that this research will facilitate the improvement of water regulations and disinfection methods, thus pushing the advancement of drinking water safety.