Legionnaires' disease bacteria in power plant cooling systems: Phase 2

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5732566· OSTI ID:5732566

Tyndall, R L; Christensen, S W; Solomon, J A

Legionnaires' Disease Bacteria (Legionella) are a normal component of the aquatic community. The study investigated various environmental factors that affect Legionella profiles in power plant cooling waters. The results indicate that each of the four factors investigated (incubation temperature, water quality, the presence and type of associated biota, and the nature of the indigenous Legionella population) is important in determining the Legionella profile of these waters. Simple predictive relationships were not found. At incubation temperatures of 32/sup 0/ and 37/sup 0/C, waters from a power plant where infectious Legionella were not observed stimulated the growth of stock Legionella cultures more than did waters from plants where infectious Legionella were prevalent. This observation is consistent with Phase I results, which showed that densities of Legionella were frequently reduced in closed-cycle cooling systems despite the often higher infectivity of Legionella in closed-cycle waters. In contrast, water from power plants where infectious Legionella were prevalent supported the growth of indigenous Legionella pneumophila at 42/sup 0/C, while water from a power plant where infectious Legionella were absent did not support growth of indigenous Legionella. Some Legionella are able to withstand a water temperature of 85/sup 0/C for several hours, thus proving more tolerant than was previously realized. Finally, the observation that water from two power plants where infectious Legionella were prevalent usually supported the growth of Group A Legionella at 45/sup 0/C indicates the presence, of soluble Legionella growth promoters in these waters. This test system could allow for future identification and control of these growth promoters and, hence, of Legionella. 25 refs., 23 figs., 10 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5732566
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EA-4017; ON: DE85011546
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200201* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management-- Thermal Effluents
520100 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
CELL CULTURES
CELL PROLIFERATION
COOLING SYSTEMS
DATA
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFECTIVITY
INFORMATION
LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
POPULATION DYNAMICS
POWER PLANTS
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WATER QUALITY