Water quality influences Legionella pneumophila determination.

Legionellosis is a respiratory disease of public health concern. The bacterium Legionella pneumophila is the etiologic agent responsible for >90% of legionellosis cases in the United States. Legionellosis transmission primarily occurs through the inhalation or aspiration of contaminated water aerosols or droplets. Therefore, a thorough understanding of L. pneumophila detection methods and their performance in various water quality conditions is needed to develop preventive measures. Two hundred and nine potable water samples were collected from taps in buildings across the United States. L. pneumophila was determined using three culture methods: Buffered Charcoal Yeast Extract (BCYE) culture with Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) identification, Legiolert® 10- and 100-mL tests, and one molecular method: quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) assay. Culture and molecular positive results were confirmed by secondary testing including MALDI-MS. Eight water quality variables were studied, including source water type, secondary disinfectant, total chlorine residual, heterotrophic bacteria, total organic carbon (TOC), pH, water hardness, cold- and hot-water lines. The eight water quality variables were segmented into 28 categories, based on scale and ranges, and method performance was evaluated in each of these categories. Additionally, a Legionella genus qPCR assay was used to determine the water quality variables that promote or hinder Legionella spp. occurrence. L. pneumophila detection frequency ranged from 2 to 22% across the methods tested. Method performance parameters of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were >94% for the qPCR method but ranged from 9 to 100% for the culture methods. Water quality influenced L. pneumophila determination by culture and qPCR methods. L. pneumophila qPCR detection frequencies positively correlated with TOC and heterotrophic bacterial counts. The source water-disinfectant combination influenced the proportion of Legionella spp. that is L. pneumophila. Water quality influences L. pneumophila determination. To accurately detect L. pneumophila, method selection should consider the water quality in addition to the purpose of testing (general environmental monitoring versus disease-associated investigations).

Effectiveness of point-of-use and pitcher filters at removing lead phosphate nanoparticles from drinking water.

Orthophosphate (PO4) addition is a common corrosion control treatment used to lower lead (Pb) concentrations at the consumer's tap by forming relatively insoluble Pb-phosphate (Pb-PO4) minerals. However, some Pb-PO4 particles that can form in drinking water are mobile nanoparticles (i.e., 0.001-0.1 µm) that have the potential to reach the tap. Point-of-use (POU) or pitcher filters are often used to manage risks during distribution system upsets, when corrosion control treatment is not optimized, or following Pb service line replacements. To abide by industry convention, POU and pitcher filters must be NSF/ANSI-certified for Pb reduction (NSF/ANSI-53) using a test water containing dissolved Pb and large Pb particles. Certification for particulates reduction (NSF/ANSI-42) is done using a test water that contains particles, but not leaded particles. To address the lack of testing for Pb nanoparticles, this study challenged six certified commercially available faucet-mounted POU (3) and pitcher (3) filters with aqueous suspensions of Pb-PO4 nanoparticle. For the water quality investigated, the Pb particles formed ranged between 0.016 and 0.098 µm, based on scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering analysis. These particles represented 98.5% of total Pb in suspension. The total Pb removals were between 44.6 and 65.1% for the POU filters, and between 10.9 and 92.9% for the pitcher filters. The electron microscopy results confirm that Pb-PO4 nanoparticles passed through the filters. The findings can inform future efforts to re-examine the test waters used in the certification challenge tests.

Lead Particle Size Fractionation and Identification in Newark, New Jersey's Drinking Water.

Following a pH reduction in their drinking water over a span of more than 20 years, the City of Newark, New Jersey, has struggled with elevated lead (Pb) release from Pb service lines and domestic plumbing in the zone fed by the Pequannock Water Treatment Plant. In response, Newark initiated orthophosphate addition and provided faucet-mounted point-of-use (POU) filters and pitcher filters certified for Pb and particulate reduction under NSF/ANSI Standards 53 and 42 to residential homes in that zone. Water chemistry analysis and size fractionation sampling were performed at four of these houses. Analysis of the particulate material retained by the fractionation filters revealed that Pb was dominantly present in the water as fine Pb(II) orthophosphate particles. A considerable amount of the particulates occurred as a nanoscale fraction that sometimes passed through the POU faucet or pitcher filtration units. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses showed that the nanoparticles (<100 nm) and their aggregates were composed of Pb, phosphorus, and chlorine, which are consistent with pyromorphite, Pb5(PO4)3Cl. Electron diffraction and X-ray analyses supported the presence of hydroxypyromorphite and chloropyromorphite nanoparticles and the size range estimates from the imaging. This research confirmed that nonadherent Pb(II)-orthophosphate nanoparticles were an important form of Pb in drinking water in the Pequannock water quality zone of Newark.

Synthesis and characterization of stable lead (II) orthophosphate nanoparticle suspensions.

There is great interest in producing nanoparticles for various applications. The objective of this work was to develop a procedure for reproducibly creating stable lead (Pb) phosphate nanoparticle aqueous suspensions. A stable 5 mg/L Pb-phosphate nanoparticle "stock" suspension was synthesized via chemical precipitation of Pb and orthophosphate in water at pH 7.5 with 4.4 mg soluble PO4/L and 7 mg C/L dissolved inorganic carbon. The stock suspension was subsequently diluted to produce stable 0.10 mg/L Pb "challenge" water suspensions without compromising the nanoparticle size, structure, mineralogy and solubility. Specifically, the hexagonal hydroxypyromorphite nanoparticles had an average diameter of 38 nm based on transmission electron microscopy analysis and an associated Pb solubility of 0.001 mg/L. The properties of the stock suspensions were not impacted by further dilutions, and the challenge water suspensions remained stable for 24 hours. In the context of drinking water, a protocol to produce such a stable Pb nanoparticle challenge water suspension would be very useful in evaluating Pb bioavailability, identifying Pb remediation strategies, and testing filter effectiveness to remove Pb from water.

The removal of ammonia, arsenic, iron and manganese by biological treatment from a small Iowa drinking water system.

Although not regulated in United States drinking water, ammonia has the potential to increase chlorine consumption and cause nitrification problems in the distribution system. Many groundwaters with elevated ammonia are also contaminated with other inorganic analytes such as arsenic, iron, and manganese, all of which have primary or secondary maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). The objective of this work was to demonstrate the effectiveness of an innovative biological treatment process to simultaneously remove ammonia (2.9 mg N per L), arsenic (23 µg L-1), iron (2.9 mg L-1) and manganese (80 µg L-1) from a groundwater source in Iowa. The biological treatment system consisted of an "aeration contactor" followed by a conventional granular media filter. Orthophosphate was also added, as a biological nutrient, at 0.3 mg PO4 per L. Ammonia, manganese, and iron were consistently reduced through the pilot system by 98 to 99%. Complete oxidation of ammonia to nitrate was observed (i.e., no nitrite was released) and arsenic was consistently removed to below the 10 µg L-1 MCL. Ammonia was oxidized by ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria and arsenic by bacteria which converted As(III) in the source water to more readily removable As(V). Iron was presumably oxidized by oxygen during aeration although some biologically assisted oxidation could not be ruled out. As(V) bound iron particles were removed in the filter resulting in effective arsenic (and iron) reduction. A surprising treatment benefit was the effective manganese reduction, the mechanism of which was not so clear, but was attributed to biologically assisted oxidation of Mn(II). While some system acclimation time was necessary to achieve desired ammonia and manganese reductions, acceptable arsenic and iron reductions were observed shortly after start-up.

Absorption of strontium by foods prepared in drinking water.

Strontium (Sr) is a natural element, ubiquitous in the environment and known to occur in water, food, air, and soils. Strontium is present in media as a salt or an ionized divalent cation. The Sr ion (dissociated) is toxicokinetically important because it is easily absorbed into systemic circulation when inhaled with particulates or ingested with water or foods. Dietary exposure can be influenced by using tap water containing dissolved Sr in food preparation. Research was conducted to determine the amount of Sr transferred from water to individual foods during preparation. Strontium transferred to broccoli, lentils, and spaghetti at all levels tested (1.5, 10, and 50 mg/L) as evidenced by the residual Sr in the pour-off water following food preparation (33-64%). The data from the cooking study support the hypothesis that cooking of foods with water containing Sr adds to total dietary exposure. This information can inform the determination of the relative source contribution (RSC) that is typically used in developing drinking water advisory guidelines. These cooking study results indicate that food prepared in water containing Sr should be considered as part of the food in a dietary exposure assessment.

Systematic evaluation of dissolved lead sorption losses to particulate syringe filter materials.

Distinguishing between soluble and particulate lead in drinking water is useful in understanding the mechanism of lead release and identifying remedial action. Typically, particulate lead is defined as the amount of lead removed by a 0.45-µm filter. Unfortunately, there is little guidance regarding selection of filter membrane material and little consideration to the possibility of the sorption of dissolved lead to the filter. The objective of this work was to examine the tendency of 0.45-µm syringe filter materials to adsorb lead. Tests were performed with water containing 40 and 24 µg/L soluble lead at pH 7 buffered with 50 mg C/L dissolved inorganic concentration (DIC). The amounts of lead sorbed greatly varied by filter, and only two filter types, polypropylene and mixed cellulose esters, performed well and are recommended. Great care must be taken in choosing a filter when filtering soluble lead and interpreting filter results.