Effects of metals on Legionella pneumophila growth in drinking water plumbing systems

An investigation of the chemical environment and growth of Legionella pneumophila in plumbing systems was conducted to gain a better understanding of its ecology in this habitat. Water samples were collected from hospital and institutional hot-water tanks known to have supported L. pneumophila and were analyzed for 23 chemical parameters. The chemical environment of these tanks was found to vary extensively, with the concentrations of certain metals reaching relatively high levels due to corrosion. The effect of various chemical conditions on L. pneumophila growth was then examined by observing its multiplication in the chemically analyzed hot-water tank samples after sterilization and reinoculation with L. pneumophila. L. pneumophila and associated microbiota used in these experiments were obtained from a hot-water tank. These stains were maintained in tap water and had never been passaged on agar. The results of the growth studies indicate that although elevated concentrations of a number of metals are toxic, lower levels of certain metals such as iron, zinc, and potassium enhance growth of naturally occurring L. pneumophila. Parallel observations on accompanying non-Legionellaceae bacteria failed to show the same relationship. These findings suggest that metal plumbing components and associated corrosion products are important factors in the survival and growth of L. pneumophila in plumbing systems and may also be important in related habitats such as cooling towers and air-conditioning systems.