Publications

researchers from Denmark are studying phytotoxins – those produced by plants – from the potential of them being contaminants with the potential to impair drinking water quality. Of several different phytotoxins spiked into groundwater and ultimately treated by 5 different filter types, two of them, jacobine N-oxide and senecionine N-oxide, were found to be non-biodegradable. They were also able to identify some degradation products.

The study examined 623,468 births and concluded that “TTHM exposure was associated with the increased risk of malformations of the nervous system, urinary system, genitals, and limbs in areas exclusively using chloramine. An association between chloramine-related chlorination by-products and congenital malformations has not previously been highlighted and needs further attention.”

It provides baseline concentrations and sizes for typical occurrence of natural and anthropogenic (manufactured) nanoparticles (NPs) including gold, cerium, titanium, and palladium (Au, Ce, Ti, and Pd) in US drinking water sources.

An article published in the Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology provides five tables of recommended fluences (dosages) for 1 to 5 log reduction of spores, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and algae and other large microorganisms.

A recently published study found that persistence of viable SARS-CoV-2 was temperature dependent, remaining infectious for significantly longer periods of time in freshwater at 4°C than at 20°C. This is consistent with other viruses. The T90 for infectious SARS-CoV-2 in river water was 2.3 days and 3.8 days at 20°C and 4°C, respectively, but the viral RNA was much more stable (remained detectable for the 20 day duration of the experiment).