title: Virus disinfection in water by biogenic silver immobilized in polyvinylidene fluoride membranes.
abstract: The development of innovative water disinfection strategies is of utmost importance to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases related to poor treatment of (drinking) water. Recently, the association of silver nanoparticles with the bacterial cell surface of Lactobacillus fermentum (referred to as biogenic silver or bio-Ag(0)) has been reported to exhibit antiviral properties. The microscale bacterial carrier matrix serves as a scaffold for Ag(0) particles, preventing aggregation during encapsulation. In this study, bio-Ag(0) was immobilized in different microporous PVDF membranes using two different pre-treatments of bio-Ag(0) and the immersion-precipitation method. Inactivation of UZ1 bacteriophages using these membranes was successfully demonstrated and was most probably related to the slow release of Ag(+) from the membranes. At least a 3.4 log decrease of viruses was achieved by application of a membrane containing 2500 mg bio-Ag(0)(powder) m(-2) in a submerged plate membrane reactor operated at a flux of 3.1 L m(-2) h(-1). Upon startup, the silver concentration in the effluent initially increased to 271 μg L(-1) but after filtration of 31 L m(-2), the concentration approached the drinking water limit ( = 100 μg L(-1)). A virus decline of more than 3 log was achieved at a membrane flux of 75 L m(-2) h(-1), showing the potential of this membrane technology for water disinfection on small scale.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Microbiological Technology, Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Gusseme
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hennebel
authors.forename: Eline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christiaens
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saveyn
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Verbeken
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fitts
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verstraete
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental / Q000187:drug effects; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D005374:Filtration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055672:Static Electricity; D038301:Virus Inactivation / Q000187:drug effects; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011145:Polyvinyls; D012834:Silver; C024865:polyvinylidene fluoride; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers