WATER HYGIENE & SAFETY
https://readbiology.com/replication-in- viruses
4 HAI data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
5 Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Healthcare settings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://tinyurl.com/2d9nnujn
6 Water-related diseases responsible for 80 per cent of all illnesses, deaths in developing works, says Secretary-General in Environment Day Message, 16 May 2003. United Nations press release.
www.un.org/press/en/2003/sgsm8707.
doc.htm
7 Wing-Kee Y, Coenen O, Nillesen M, van Ingen J, Bowles E, Tostmann A. Outbreaks of healthcare-associated infections linked to water-containing hospital equipment: a literature review. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control May 2021; 10; 10(1):77. 8 Hultgren SJ, Kostakioti M,
Hadjifrangiskou M. Bacterial Biofilms: Development, Dispersal, and Therapeutic Strategies in the Dawn of the Postantibiotic Era. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2013 Apr; 3(4): a010306.
9 Donlan RM. Biofilms: Microbial Life on Surfaces. Emerg Infect Dis 2002 Sep; 8(9): 881–890.
Figure 5: How an RO membrane works.12
be thought of as meniscal beads. Each of these beads is charged with a sodium ion (negatively charge), so that as the hard water enters the vessel, the ions are attracted to the beads, which causes a sodium ion to be released into the free- flowing water. Other positively charged ions (cation), such as iron, also bind to the resin beads (Figure 4).
Reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis is the most generic form of water treatment available today. This valuable technology is widely used across not only the healthcare sector, but in many other industries too. So, what is so special about this technology compared with those we have already focused on? Reverse osmosis systems are designed for the degradation of microorganisms. Osmosis is the scientific term given to the natural movement of water molecules from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration, across a semi-permeable membrane. A semi- permeable membrane allows for certain molecules to pass through, while blocking larger molecules from penetrating the membrane. Reverse osmosis sees this process switched – through the addition of pressure via a pump, which results in a high quantity of particles such as salt, chemical ions, and microorganisms, getting trapped in the membrane (Figure 5).13
The most widely used membrane for
reverse osmosis is made from a compound called a polyamide. Polyamide membranes
122 Health Estate Journal October 2022
are the preferred material used in membrane production. They can be used in a diverse range of applications, as they have more flexibility, and require less pressure, as well as a low flow rate, to achieve high rejection of contaminants including microorganisms.
Conclusion There is no doubt that, due to the intelligence of microorganisms, combating healthcare-associated infections will be an ongoing battle for the healthcare sector. That said, however, through continuous improvements in water treatment technology, we are now getting more efficient in helping to reduce the rate of contamination. With this, and a growing understanding of how different microorganisms use their hosts and cause infection, we can strive to bring down the number of HCAIs. Frequent water testing in hospitals can ensure quality assurance that the water systems our hospitals have in place are working correctly, which adds to the reassurance that the correct steps are being taken to uphold patient safety.
References 1 Pelczar MJ Jr, Chan ECS, Krieg NR. Microbiology: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill Education, February 1993.
2 Sargen M, Lue N. How Microbes Grow. Science in the News, 20 July 2020. (
harvard.edu)
3 Replication in viruses. Read Biology.
10 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention: Legionella.
11 An Evaluation of Activated Carbon for Drinking Water Treatment, 1980, National Research Council (US) Safe Drinking Water Committee. Washington (DC). National Academies Press (US).
12 Herco Wassenentecknic pre-treatment presentation/
13
www.aquacure.co.uk
Michelle Roe
Michelle Roe studied Microbiology at University College Dublin, subsequently working in an environmental microbiology laboratory in the city for almost five years, where she progressed through a number of roles. In her current role at Whitewater, she sells water treatment systems for hospitals across both the UK and Ireland.
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