Brass for Purification of Water in Rural India

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Brass (and copper) containers forpurification of water in rural India

Rob Reed,Division of Biomedical Sciences,

Northumbria University

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Outline:

• Indian context (Rajasthan & Kerala)

• [Solar disinfection]

• Current usage of brass/copper vessels

• Work at Northumbria/Panjab Universities

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Indian context (Rajasthan & Kerala)

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Rajasthan (Jodhpur)

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Kerala (Alappuzha)

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[Solar disinfection]

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0

1

2

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0 1 2 3

Time (h)

   L  o  g   C   F

   U   /   1   0   0  m   l

Field studies - inactivation of faecal indicator bacteriaRajasthan water sample in full sunlight.

Faecal Coliforms

Enterococci

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Solar disinfection – time for 99.9% inactivation

• High light: 180-220 minutes (within 3-4 hours)

• Moderate light: 300-360 minutes (within 5-6 hours)

• Low light: 500-1000 minutes (over 1 day)

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Current usage of copper/brass vessels

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Work at Northumbria & Panjab Universities

(inactivation of faecal bacteria during storage)

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Puja Tandon

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1

100

10000

1000000

100000000

 N Mac mFC-R mEndo mLSA

E. coli  NCTC 8912 kept for 6 h in a brass pitcher 

(initial inoculum show n as dotted line; aerobic counts

unshaded bars; ROS-neutralised counts shaded bars)

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E.faeca lis NCIM B 775,12hr in bras s po t.

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5

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8

 N KF SB

Aer 

AC+P

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1

100

10000

100 00 00

Mac mFC-R mEndo mLSA

Khanpur river water kept fo r 6 h in a bras s p itcher 

(init ial inoculum shown as d o t ted line; aero b ic co unt

unshaded b ars; ROS-neutralised count shaded bars)

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Summary of lab findings:

• Pure culture of all tested strains of

E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis werefully inactivated after 48 hours storagein brass/copper vessels

• Similarly, natural water samples tested

negative for faecal indicator bacteriaafter 48 hours in brass/copper

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initial count after 48 hours

faecal coliforms

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initial count after 48 hours

enterococci

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To t a l C o lif o rms is o la t ed fro m Bras s po t

0

1

2

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Mac mLSA mEndo mFC-R  

Aer 

An+P

Chandigarh fieldwork: water stored overnight in pitcher 

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To tal Co lifo rms is o late d fro m Earthern po t

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Mac mLSA mEndo mFC-R  

Aer 

An+P

Chandigarh fieldwork: water stored overnight in pitcher 

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13050Brasspitcher

16701270Earthernpitcher

17701420Source

water

ROS-neutralisedAerobic

Coliform counts per mL on MacConkey agar

Comparison of source and stored water: Gujrawala village

C l i f ill t t

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Conclusions from village tests:

• For all 3 village locations, a decrease in

coliforms of around 90% was recorded afterovernight storage in brass pitchers

• However, overnight storage was not longenough to achieve total inactivation(48 hours required)

C l i

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Conclusions:

• Water stored in brass (and copper) vesselsinactivates the major faecal indicator bacteria

• Initially (6-24 hours), there is evidence ofsub-lethal injury, but after 48 hours no viable

bacteria can be isolated from water stored inbrass/copper

• These results indicate the direction for

further research into the practical applicationof copper for water disinfection

N xt st ps

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Next steps……

• Extend range of microbes tested

• Investigate effects of water quality

(especially pH)

• Alternatives to copper pitchers?

• Field trials (case-control studies)

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