Evaluation of the Medical Efficacy of the Pre-Mac Model FWP Individual Water Purifier for Treating Microbiological Contaminants in Water

• Main Authors: Schaub, Stephen A, Hargett, Helen T, Sterling, Charles R, Marshall, Marilyn M
• Format: Publication
• Language: English
• Published: 11.04.2007
• Subjects: CONTAMINANTS; DISINFECTION; ENTERIC BACTERIA; ENTEROVIRUSES; LATEX BEADS; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS; PE62787A; PORTABLE EQUIPMENT; PRE-MAC MODEL FWP WATER PURIFIERS; PROTOZOA; PURIFICATION; WATER; WATER POLLUTION AND CONTROL; WATER PURIFIERS

Prepared in collaboration with Arizona Univ., Tucson. Dept. of Veterinary Science. Tests were conducted inhouse to determine the microbiological treatment efficacy of the Pre-Mac Model FWP hand-held water purifiers. Test waters represented various physical/chemical challenge conditions. Microbial challenges consisted of enteric bacteria (Klebsiella terrigena), enteroviruses (Echovirus 1 and Poliovirus 1), protozoan oocysts (Crytosporidiu parvum), and cyst simulant (latex beads). Additional tests were conducted at the University of Arizona (UA) to determine the viability of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts after exposure to the Pre-Mac iodine iodine, and to evaluate Pre-Mac water purifiers fitted with second generation 1.0 micron fine mesh filters for physical removals of cysts from product water. Studies used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's interim Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers for guidance. Results indicated that bacteria and viruses were readily removed by the Pre-Mac filter units. However, test results from inhouse studies and UA studies indicated that the Pre-Mac water purifiers were not adequate to physically remove or reduce infectious levels of protozoan cysts to meet the 3-log reduction criteria