The effects of negative ions and ozone on miscellaneous bacteria and evaluation of these effects on disinfection of hospital wastewater, and cooling towers

In recent years there has been an increase in the hospital acquired or community acquired infections due to antibiotics resistant organisms. To prevent or to reduce these infections, it has been needed reliable, effective disinfection methods which to use in the disinfections of hospital wastewater and cooling towers.In this study; the sensitivity of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria often encountered as hospital infection agent to ozone gas and/or negative ions is investigated and the use of these disinfection methods in our hospital?s waste water, and air conditioning systems are evaluated. It is determined that all types of bacteria included in the study are extremely sensitive to ozone gas and their growth is being inhibited in the short exposure time. But particularly in the high concentration of bacteria, it is seen that the use of high concentration of ozone gas and/or continuously ozonization is needed. It is observed that cell wall structure of some bacteria species are completely destroyed by using ozon gas, but their DNA structures have not been harmed under this process. It is viewed that negative ions are ineffective in the high concentrations of bacteria, therefore they are not useful for disinfection of waste water systems loaded with high pathogenes. It is concluded that the use of ozone gas in disinfection of our hospital wastewater system, and cooling tower tank will be effective and reliable.Key Words: Ozone, Negative ions, Hospital Water, Cooling tower