Related Experiment Videos
Chlorine inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7
E W Rice1, R M Clark, C H Johnson
1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, USA. rice.gene@epa.gov
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|May 26, 1999
Abstract:
We analyzed isolates of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (which has recently caused waterborne outbreaks) and wild-type E. coli to determine their sensitivity to chlorination. Both pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains were significantly reduced within 1 minute of exposure to free chlorine. Results indicate that chlorine levels typically maintained in water systems are sufficient to inactivate these organisms.