UV light kills waterborne parasite

French researchers have used industrial ultraviolet reactors to wipe out a chlorine-resistant parasite from drinking water.

The Cryptosporidium parasite is found in water, and causes diarrheal disease in humans, which can even lead to death in immunodeficient patients.
 
Researchers from the University Denis Diderot in Paris, and the VEOLIA Research Centre in Maisons-Laffitte (France) have, however, found that the pathogen becomes virtually inactive when targeted with ultraviolet (UV) light.
 
Humans can become infected with the waterborne disease, known as cryptosporidiosis, after ingesting the parasite. Contamination of drinking water supplies and inadequate water treatment can cause outbreaks of the disease. The UK’s largest outbreak occurred in Devon in 1995, when 575 people fell ill.
 
Until now, there has been no effective curative treatment.

UV rays used in large-scale tests

The French research team demonstrated the efficacy of UV rays in large-scale tests. Water was contaminated with Cryptosporidium eggs, and then passed through industrial UV reactors. Cells were then cultured to test for the pathogen.
 
The study, published in FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, describes how replicate experiments successfully achieved an inactivation rate of over 99.9 per cent with both low and medium pressure UV reactors.
 
Dr. Cedric Féliers, who led the study conducted for the VEOLIA Research Centre said: “These tests, made in near real conditions, confirm that these industrial UV reactors could prevent waterborne outbreaks and secure water supply to customers.”
 

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