As mentioned in yesterdays post, here are some treatment options and some info behind each, followed by comparisons with Hypochlorous Acid treatment.
Copper-silver Ionization: Ions are electrically generated from electrodes made of copper and silver.
Advantages: Easily installed and maintained, efficacy is not affected by higher water temps, bacteria like Legionella are killed rather than supressed.
Disadvantages: Does not reduce scale, scale must be removed from the electrodes regularly to ensure best performance, excessively high ion levels have turned water a blackish color and stained sinks lavender, Elevated pH reduces the effectiveness of copper-silver ions, long term treatment can theoretically result in development of resistance to these ions.
Comparison to Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl): HOCl is easily installed and maintained, efficacy is not affected by water temp, bacteria throughout system is killed, scale is controlled, no staining of plumbing fixtures.
Thermal eradication: Hot water tank temps are elevated to 70 degrees C, and then all water outlets, faucets, and showerheads are flushed for 30 min.
Advantages: Requires no special equipment, so it can be initiated expeditiously.
Disadvantages: Time-consuming, a large number of personnel are needed to monitor hot water temps and flushing items, mixing valves and scald guards must be bypassed, scale is not effected, disinfection only temporary, scalding can occur.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl is easily installed, demands minimal attention, disinfection is constant, safe and inconspicuous to well owners.
Ultraviolet (UV) Light: The water flows in one port of the hydraulic chamber and is sterilized by UV light generated by mercury lamps.
Advantages: easy to install, do not harm water or plumbing, forms no disinfectant by-products.
Disadvantages: Does not provide residual protection because bacterium will persist in biofilms where UV light cannot penetrate, does not eliminate scale.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl do not harm water or plumbing, pathogens, scale and biofilm will be eliminated.
Hyper-chlorination: Shock hyper-chlorination and continuous hyper-chlorination.
Advantages: Residual disinfectant is provided throughout the entire water distribution system.
Disadvantages: Does not reduce pathogen harboring scale, will contribute to scale formation, highly corrosive and damaging to pipes, may only suppress pathogens rather than kill it, if a chlorinator fails or malfunctions, bacterium can re-emerge within days, the reaction of chlorine with organic materials produces THMs (See blog post: I'm drinking what?!)
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl has destruction of spores, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogen organisms, contact time is lower, better solubility, minimally corrosive, eliminates existing scale, biofilm is eliminated, does not involve hazardous chemicals.
Chloramines: Formed when chlorine and ammonia-nitrogen are combined in water.
Advantages: will not mix with organics to form THM's, can penetrate biofilm, very stable.
Disadvantages: more harmful to dialysis patients than other oxidizers, most difficult to remove from water systems, toxic to fish, do not affect scale.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl not only eliminates contamination and scale, but can help provide pathogen free water within Cl2 limits of dialysis equipment.
Chlorine Dioxide: Generated in equipment on site from precursors including sodium chlorite, sodium hypochlorite, and hydrochloric acid.
Advantages: not nearly as corrosive as chlorine, can penetrate and destroy biofilm, does not form THMs.
Disadvantages: do not reduce pathogens harboring scale, will contribute to scale formation, poisonous gas, significant maintenance issues, WHO has warned that Chlorine Dioxide has been shown to impair neurobehavioral and neurological development in rats exposed prenatally.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl systems have performance characteristics that are similar or superior to chlorine dioxide but it does not have the dangerous and onerous handling issues as well as the associated costs, health, and risk management considerations.
Ozone: This technology uses Aozone which is activated oxygen.
Advantages: Like UV, Ozone is an extremely effective point-of-contact biocide.
Disadvantages: Very unstable, does not carry well through system, no residual disinfectant, does not inhibit nor destroy scale or biofilm.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl treatment is highly effective throughout a system, has residual disinfectant, and destroys scale and biofilm.
Which treatment would you prefer?
Source: An Overview of Hypochlorous Acid
www.greenshock.ca
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