Performic Acid Disinfection of Municipal Secondary Effluent Wastewater: Inactivation of Murine Norovirus, Fecal Coliforms, and Enterococci

Abstract

Performic acid (PFA) is an emerging disinfectant to inactivate bacterial and viral microorganisms in wastewater. In this study, the inactivation kinetics of murine norovirus (MNV) by PFA, in phosphate buffer and municipal secondary effluent wastewater, are reported for the first time. PFA decay followed first-order kinetics and the inactivation of MNV was governed by the exposure of microorganisms to PFA, i.e., the integral of the PFA concentration over time (integral CT or ICT). The extension of the Chick-Watson model, in the ICT domain, described well the reduction of MNV by PFA, with determined ICT-based inactivation rate constants, k d , of 1.024 ± 0.038 L/(mg•min) and 0.482 ± 0.022 L/(mg•min) in phosphate buffer and wastewater, respectively, at pH 7.2. Furthermore, the simultaneous PFA inactivation of MNV and fecal indicators indigenously present in wastewater such as fecal coliforms and enterococci showed that 1-log reduction could be achieved with ICT of 2, 1.5, and 3.5 mg•min/L, respectively. When compared with the most commonly used peracid disinfectant of municipal wastewater, peracetic acid (PAA), the ICT requirements determined using the fitted ICT-based kinetic models were ∼20 times higher for PAA than PFA, indicating a much stronger inactivation power of the PFA molecule.

Bacteria and Virus Inactivation: Relative Efficacy and Mechanisms of Peroxyacids and Chlor(am)ine

“…Previous studies mostly compared the disinfection of POAs and chlorine in wastewater effluents from activated sludge processes. − Compared to aerobic processes, anaerobic treatment avoids the energy-intensive aeration and produces biogas (e.g., methane, hydrogen) that could be used for electricity/heat cogeneration . In particular, an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), taking advantages of the superior micropollutant removal and prolonged solid retention time (SRT) by ultrafiltration, has been widely investigated in the past decades .…”

High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Screening of Wastewater Effluent for Micropollutants and Their Transformation Products during Disinfection with Performic Acid

“…Several cities in Europe (e.g., Venice, Paris, and Berlin) are currently applying PFA at the full scale to disinfect wastewater effluents before discharge to surface water. , Some studies documented PFA to be more potent than PAA for the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci. ,,, The required dose of PFA varies depending on the site and the water matrix. A low dose of PFA (e.g., 0.8 mg/L for 18 min) was reported to enable 3-log reduction of E.…”

“…9,10 Some studies documented PFA to be more potent than PAA for the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci. 7,8,11,12 The required dose of PFA varies depending on the site and the water matrix. A low dose of PFA (e.g., 0.8 mg/L for 18 min) was reported to enable 3log reduction of E. coli in secondary wastewater effluent, 9 while another study reported 2-log reduction of E. coli in wastewater upon disinfection by 1 mg/L of PFA for 10−30 min.…”

Antimicrobial Resistance and Bacteriophages: An Overlooked Intersection in Water Disinfection

“…Alternatively, Performic Acid (PFA) (CH2O3) is up to 20 x faster and more efficient as a disinfectant than PAA, as evidenced by tests done on coliforms and murine norovirus in wastewater [55]. It has also been recently used for treating municipal wastewater and combined sewage overflows [54].…”