[Biological warfares as a threat to drinking water supplies- a review study]

ABSTRACT

Historically during wars, urban water supply systems have been always exposed to threats and sabotage. These actions have been done in order to kill the military forces and civilians and sometimes to create political inconstancy. The intentional contaminating of water supplies can cause different diseases in humans and animals and it can also result in long term disorder in water supply services. Since the drinking water, foods and medicines are commonly being consumed, it is the easiest way to enter lethal dose of chemical and pathogenic agents into water supplies. A lot of people can be exposed to disease and death quickly by adding pathogenic and biotoxin agents in different places of water system, from the source of water absorption installations to water distribution system and wells of water. Unfortunately, in normal state, water supply systems are vulnerable and it is so difficult to detect the contamination easily. This issue is very important in nation security against possible bioterrorism attacks, and because of this, knowing these agent's hazards and responding actions is vital. This work is a review study in which potential biological threats, biological agents, vulnerable points of water supplies and water sources, possible ways of their contaminating, diagnosis and detection of agents and methods of effective disinfecting water, preventive and responding measures are studied. Planed programs for prevention of sabotage in drinking water, food supplies and other consumption products such as drugs should be based on 1-prevention, 2-detection and 3- response. Preparation plays the main role in all of these cases. Consider to necessity of water distribution authorities' knowledge about water bioterrorism hazards, prevention methods and response are vital for authorities of water supply particularly in military centers in aspects of security, politic, public and health. This study assesses different aspects of water bioterrorism in water sources and water supplies. In addition, potential threats of biological agents in water systems and current challenges for its detection, prevention ways and mitigation of vulnerability have been studied in this article