TY - JOUR

T1 - Legionella occurrence in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants and risks of reclaimed wastewater reuse

T2 - Review

AU - Caicedo, C.

AU - Rosenwinkel, K. H.

AU - Exner, M.

AU - Verstraete, W.

AU - Suchenwirth, R.

AU - Hartemann, P.

AU - Nogueira, R.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was performed under the financial support from the Ministry for Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia ( P 03/13-71 Ar ).

PY - 2019/2/1

Y1 - 2019/2/1

N2 - Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as confirmed but until today underestimated sources of Legionella, playing an important role in local and community cases and outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. In general, aerobic biological systems provide an optimum environment for the growth of Legionella due to high organic nitrogen and oxygen concentrations, ideal temperatures and the presence of protozoa. However, few studies have investigated the occurrence of Legionella in WWTPs, and many questions in regards to the interacting factors that promote the proliferation and persistence of Legionella in these treatment systems are still unanswered. This critical review summarizes the current knowledge about Legionella in municipal and industrial WWTPs, the conditions that might support their growth, as well as control strategies that have been applied. Furthermore, an overview of current quantification methods, guidelines and health risks associated with Legionella in reclaimed wastewater is also discussed in depth. A better understanding of the conditions promoting the occurrence of Legionella in WWTPs will contribute to the development of improved wastewater treatment technologies and/or innovative mitigation approaches to minimize future Legionella outbreaks.

AB - Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as confirmed but until today underestimated sources of Legionella, playing an important role in local and community cases and outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. In general, aerobic biological systems provide an optimum environment for the growth of Legionella due to high organic nitrogen and oxygen concentrations, ideal temperatures and the presence of protozoa. However, few studies have investigated the occurrence of Legionella in WWTPs, and many questions in regards to the interacting factors that promote the proliferation and persistence of Legionella in these treatment systems are still unanswered. This critical review summarizes the current knowledge about Legionella in municipal and industrial WWTPs, the conditions that might support their growth, as well as control strategies that have been applied. Furthermore, an overview of current quantification methods, guidelines and health risks associated with Legionella in reclaimed wastewater is also discussed in depth. A better understanding of the conditions promoting the occurrence of Legionella in WWTPs will contribute to the development of improved wastewater treatment technologies and/or innovative mitigation approaches to minimize future Legionella outbreaks.

KW - Activated sludge

KW - Industrial wastewater

KW - Legionella

KW - Reclaimed wastewater

KW - Wastewater treatment plants

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056478980&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.080

DO - 10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.080

M3 - Review article

C2 - 30445393

AN - SCOPUS:85056478980

VL - 149

SP - 21

EP - 34

JO - Water research

JF - Water research

SN - 0043-1354

ER -