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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requiresvalidation of the performance of ultraviolet (UV) reactorsused by public water systems for controllingpathogens such as Cryptosporidium. U.S. water suppliersvalidate reactors using coliphage MS2 as the challengesurrogate, but MS2 is significantly more UV-resistantthan Cryptosporidium.To identify a surrogate microbe with a UVdose-response similar to that of Cryptosporidium, thisresearch determined the dose-responses of 10 bacteriophagesand investigated the stability of the phages ingroundwaters in the presence and absence of three UVabsorbers. Results indicated that T7 and SP8 demonstratedUV dose-responses nearly identical to that ofCryptosporidium; Q? was more resistant than Cryptosporidiumbut less so than MS2. Use of a surrogatethat has a UV dose-response similar to the targetorganism offers several advantages, including betterestimation of the required reduction equivalent dose;reduction in the required size of UV reactors; anddecreased capital, operations, and maintenance costsfor utilities. Includes 29 references, tables, figures.

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Edition: Vol. 99 - No. 3 Published: 03/01/2007 Number of Pages: 10File Size: 1 file , 360 KB