A field study evaluation for mitigating biofouling with chlorine dioxide or chlorine integrated with UV disinfection

The drinking water industry is continually seeking innovative disinfection strategies to control biofouling in transmission systems. This research, conducted in collaboration with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) in California, compared the efficacy of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) to free chlorine (Cl2) with and without pre-treatment with low-pressure ultraviolet (UV) light for biofilm control. An additional goal was to determine disinfection by-product (DBP) formation with each disinfection strategy. Annular reactors (ARs) containing polycarbonate coupons were used to simulate EBMUD's 90-mile aqueduct that transports surface water from a source reservoir to treatment facilities. ARs were dosed with chemical disinfectants to achieve a residual of 0.2 mg/L, which is a typical value mid-way in the aqueduct. The experiment matrix included four strategies of disinfection including UV/ClO2, ClO2, UV/Cl2 and Cl2. Two ARs acted as controls and received raw water (RW) or UV-treated water. The data presented show that the UV/ClO2 combination was most effective against suspended and attached heterotrophic (heterotrophic plate count, HPC) bacteria with 3.93 log and 2.05 log reductions, respectively. ClO2 was more effective than Cl2 at removing suspended HPC bacteria and similarly effective in biofilm bacterial removal. UV light alone was not effective in controlling suspended or biofilm bacteria compared to treatment with ClO2 or Cl2. Pre-treatment with UV was more effective overall for removal of HPC bacteria than treating with corresponding chemical disinfectants only; however, it did not lower required chemical dosages. Therefore, no significant differences were observed in DBP concentrations between ARs pre-treated with UV light and ARs not pre-treated. Disinfection with ClO2 produced fewer total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) than chlorination but did produce low levels of chlorite. These data indicate that replacing Cl2 with ClO2 would further control microbiological re-growth and minimize TTHM and HAA formation, but may introduce other DBPs.     

Biodegradability of organic by-products after natural organic matter oxidation with ClO2--case study

Apart from well-known chlorites and chlorates, chlorine dioxide also generates easily biodegradable carbonyl compounds and short chain carboxylic acids during water disinfection. The main goal of the presented study was to examine the influence of natural organic matter (NOM) oxidation with chlorine dioxide, on the quantity as well as the quality of formed biodegradable by-products. In the experiments conducted at the pilot plant the sand filtered water (MWI) and ozonated/biofiltrated water (BAF) were oxidised with ClO2. The amount of BDOC formed as a result of the oxidation of both waters with ClO2 was compared. The results showed considerable differences in formation of ClO2 oxidation by-products between non-ozonated and ozonated/biofiltered waters. The disinfection of ozonated/biofiltrated water with ClO2 generated comparable amounts of aldehydes and much higher amounts of carboxylic acids than ClO2 oxidation of sand filtered water. These findings are essential for waterworks with ozonation/biofiltration units and ClO2 disinfection implemented.     

Disinfectant efficacy of chlorite and chlorine dioxide in drinking water biofilms

The drinking water industry is closely examining options to maintain disinfection in distribution systems. In particular this research compared the relative efficiency of the chlorite ion (ClO2-) to chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for biofilm control. Chlorite levels were selected for monitoring since they are typically observed in the distribution system as a by-product whenever chlorine dioxide is applied for primary or secondary disinfection. Previous research has reported the chlorite ion to be effective in mitigating nitrification in distribution systems. Annular reactors (ARs) containing polycarbonate and cast iron coupons were used to simulate water quality conditions in a distribution system. Following a 4 week acclimation period, individual ARs operated in parallel were dosed with high (0.25mg/l) and low (0.1mg/l) chlorite concentrations and with high (0.5 mg/l) and low (0.25mg/l) chlorine dioxide concentrations, as measured in the effluent of the AR. Another set of ARs that contained cast iron and polycarbonate coupons served as controls and did not receive any disinfection. The data presented herein show that the presence of chlorite at low concentration levels was not effective at reducing heterotrophic bacteria. Log reductions of attached heterotrophic bacteria for low and high chlorite ranged between 0.20 and 0.34. Chlorine dioxide had greater log reductions for attached heterotrophic bacteria ranging from 0.52 to 1.36 at the higher dose. The greatest log reduction in suspended heterotrophic bacteria was for high dose of ClO2 on either cast iron or polycarbonate coupons (1.77 and 1.55). These data indicate that it would be necessary to maintain a chlorine dioxide residual concentration in distribution systems for control of microbiological regrowth.     

Inactivation of enteric microorganisms with chemical disinfectants, UV irradiation and combined chemical/UV treatments

The relative disinfection efficiencies of peracetic acid (PAA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) against Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella enteritidis and coliphage MS2 virus were studied in laboratory-scale experiments. This study also evaluated the efficiency of combined PAA/ultraviolet irradiation (UV) and H2O2/UV treatments to determine if the microbial inactivation was synergistic. Microbial cultures were added into a synthetic wastewater-like test medium and treated by chemical disinfectants with a 10 min contact time, UV irradiation or the combination of chemical and UV treatments. A peracetic acid dose of 3 mg/l resulted in approximately 2-3 log enteric bacterial reductions, whereas 7-15 mg/l PAA was needed to achieve 1-1.5 log coliphage MS2 reductions. Doses of 3-150 mg/l hydrogen peroxide achieved below 0.2 log microbial reductions. Sodium hypochlorite treatments caused 0.3-1 log microbial reductions at an 18 mg/l chlorine dose, while 2.6 log reductions of E. faecalis were achieved at a 12 mg/l chlorine dose. The results indicate that PAA could represent a good alternative to chlorine compounds in disinfection procedures, especially in wastewaters containing easily oxidizable organic matter. Hydrogen peroxide is not an efficient disinfectant against enteric microorganisms in wastewaters. The combined PAA/UV disinfection showed increased disinfection efficiency and synergistic benefits with all the enteric bacteria tested but lower synergies for the coliphage MS2. This suggests that this method could improve the efficiency and reliability of disinfection in wastewater treatment plants. The combined H2O2/UV disinfection only slightly influenced the microbial reductions compared to UV treatments and showed some antagonism and no synergies.     

Oxidative transformation of micropollutants during municipal wastewater treatment: Comparison of kinetic aspects of selective (chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ferrate, and ozone) and non-selective oxidants (hydroxyl radical)

Chemical oxidation processes have been widely applied to water treatment and may serve as a tool to minimize the release of micropollutants (e.g. pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors) from municipal wastewater effluents into the aquatic environment. The potential of several oxidants for the transformation of selected micropollutants such as atenolol, carbamazepine, 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), ibuprofen, and sulfamethoxazole was assessed and compared. The oxidants include chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ferrate^VI, and ozone as selective oxidants versus hydroxyl radicals as non-selective oxidant. Second-order rate constants (k) for the reaction of each oxidant show that the selective oxidants react only with some electron-rich organic moieties (ERMs), such as phenols, anilines, olefins, and deprotonated-amines. In contrast, hydroxyl radicals show a nearly diffusion-controlled reactivity with almost all organic moieties (k ≥ 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). Due to a competition for oxidants between a target micropollutant and wastewater matrix (i.e. effluent organic matter, EfOM), a higher reaction rate with a target micropollutant does not necessarily translate into more efficient transformation. For example, transformation efficiencies of EE2, a phenolic micropollutant, in a selected wastewater effluent at pH 8 varied only within a factor of 7 among the selective oxidants, even though the corresponding k for the reaction of each selective oxidant with EE2 varied over four orders of magnitude. In addition, for the selective oxidants, the competition disappears rapidly after the ERMs present in EfOM are consumed. In contrast, for hydroxyl radicals, the competition remains practically the same during the entire oxidation. Therefore, for a given oxidant dose, the selective oxidants were more efficient than hydroxyl radicals for transforming ERMs-containing micropollutants, while hydroxyl radicals are capable of transforming micropollutants even without ERMs. Besides EfOM, ammonia, nitrite, and bromide were found to affect the micropollutant transformation efficiency during chlorine or ozone treatment.     

Technical note the pattern of ClO2 stabilized by Na2CO3/H2O2

In this paper, the existing patterns of carbonate and ClO2 in the so-called "stabilized chlorine dioxide" solution which is stabilized by stabilizers Na2CO3 and H2O2 are analyzed. Meanwhile, thermostability, UV absorption spectrum, specificity of the paper chromatogram, microstructure and ionic chromatogram of this solution were studied, and contrasted with pure NaClO2 and ClO2. The results show that ClO2 in "stabilized chlorine dioxide" solution exists in the form of chlorite ClO2-, carbonate exists in the form of bicarbonate. Therefore, it is considered that "stabilized chlorine dioxide" solution is mixed solution of ClO2- and HCO3-, its pH being 8.5.     

Oxidative degradation of N-nitrosodimethylamine by conventional ozonation and the advanced oxidation process ozone/hydrogen peroxide

This study investigates the oxidative degradation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a probable human carcinogen, by conventional ozonation and the advanced oxidation process ozone/hydrogen peroxide (AOP O(3)/H(2)O(2)). The rate constants of reactions of NDMA with ozone and hydroxyl radical ((*)OH) were determined to be 0.052+/-0.0016M(-1)s(-1) and (4.5+/-0.21)x10(8)M(-1)s(-1), respectively. The experiments performed with buffered deionized water varying solution pH and employing H(2)O(2) and HCO(3)(-) clearly showed that the reaction with (*)OH dominates the NDMA oxidation during ozonation. Conventional ozonation with up to 160 microM (=7.7 mgL(-1)) ozone led to less than 25% NDMA oxidation in natural waters. The AOP O(3)/H(2)O(2) required 160-320 microM ozone ([O(3)](0)/[H(2)O(2)](0)=2:1) to achieve 50-75% NDMA oxidation. However, multiple injections of ozone of the same overall dose somewhat improved the oxidant utilization efficiency by minimizing (*)OH scavenging contribution of oxidants. Methylamine (MA) was found to be a major amino product from NDMA oxidation initiated by (*)OH. The mechanism of NDMA oxidation to MA is discussed based on the results obtained in this study and the previous literature. Bromate formation may be the limiting factor for NDMA oxidation during ozonation and ozone-based AOPs in bromide-containing waters.     

溴酸根在紫外和氯消毒联用工艺中的形成

以H2O-Br--Cl2/NH2Cl/ClO2为研究对象,考查UV作用下BrO3-产生的情况。结果表明:原水和去离子水背景下,Cl2/UVC联用可以氧化部分的Br-生成BrO3-;NH3可以有效的抑制BrO3-生成,并且NH2Cl/UVC作用时不生成BrO3-;ClO2/UV体系产生溴酸根能力明显弱于Cl2/UV;ClO2/UVC产生BrO3-的量高于ClO2/UVA。酸性条件同时促进BrO3-的产生和ClO2的分解,碱性条件正好相反。     

Formation of assimilable organic carbon during oxidation of natural waters with ozone, chlorine dioxide, chlorine, permanganate, and ferrate

Five oxidants, ozone, chlorine dioxide, chlorine, permanganate, and ferrate were studied with regard to the formation of assimilable organic carbon (AOC) and oxalate in absence and presence of cyanobacteria in lake water matrices. Ozone and ferrate formed significant amounts of AOC, i.e. more than 100 μg/L AOC were formed with 4.6 mg/L ozone and ferrate in water with 3.8 mg/L dissolved organic carbon. In the same water samples chlorine dioxide, chlorine, and permanganate produced no or only limited AOC. When cyanobacterial cells (Aphanizomenon gracile) were added to the water, an AOC increase was detected with ozone, permanganate, and ferrate, probably due to cell lysis. This was confirmed by the increase of extracellular geosmin, a substance found in the selected cyanobacterial cells. AOC formation by chlorine and chlorine dioxide was not affected by the presence of the cells. The formation of oxalate upon oxidation was found to be a linear function of the oxidant consumption for all five oxidants. The following molar yields were measured in three different water matrices based on oxidant consumed: 2.4-4.4% for ozone, 1.0-2.8% for chlorine dioxide and chlorine, 1.1-1.2% for ferrate, and 11-16% for permanganate. Furthermore, oxalate was formed in similar concentrations as trihalomethanes during chlorination (yield ∼ 1% based on chlorine consumed). Oxalate formation kinetics and stoichiometry did not correspond to the AOC formation. Therefore, oxalate cannot be used as a surrogate for AOC formation during oxidative water treatment.     

Formation of oxidation byproducts from ozonation of wastewater

Disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation in tertiary wastewater was examined after ozonation (O(3)) and advanced oxidation with O(3) and hydrogen peroxide (O(3)/H(2)O(2)). O(3) and O(3)/H(2)O(2) were applied at multiple dosages to investigate DBP formation during coliform disinfection and trace contaminant oxidation. Results showed O(3) provided superior disinfection of fecal and total coliforms compared to O(3)/H(2)O(2). Color, UV absorbance, and SUVA were reduced by O(3) and O(3)/H(2)O(2), offering wastewater utilities a few potential surrogates to monitor disinfection or trace contaminant oxidation. At equivalent O(3) dosages, O(3)/H(2)O(2) produced greater concentrations of assimilable organic carbon (5-52%), aldehydes (31-47%), and carboxylic acids (12-43%) compared to O(3) alone, indicating that organic DBP formation is largely dependent upon hydroxyl radical exposure. Bromate formation occurred when O(3) dosages exceeded the O(3) demand of the wastewater. Bench-scale tests with free chlorine showed O(3) is capable of reducing total organic halide (TOX) formation potential by at least 20%. In summary, O(3) provided superior disinfection compared to O(3)/H(2)O(2) while minimizing DBP concentrations. These are important considerations for water reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and advanced wastewater treatment applications.     

Kinetics of aqueous chlorination of some pharmaceuticals and their elimination from water matrices

Apparent rate constants for the reactions of four selected pharmaceutical compounds (metoprolol, naproxen, amoxicillin, and phenacetin) with chlorine in ultra-pure (UP) water were determined as a function of the pH. It was found that amoxicillin (in the whole pH range 3-12), and naproxen (in the low pH range 2-4) presented high reaction rates, while naproxen (in the pH range 5-9), and phenacetin and metoprolol (in the pH range 2.5-12 for phenacetin, and 3-10 for metoprolol) followed intermediate and slow reaction rates. A mechanism is proposed for the chlorination reaction, which allowed the evaluation of the intrinsic rate constants for the elementary reactions of the ionized and un-ionized species of each selected pharmaceutical with chlorine. An excellent agreement is obtained between experimental and calculated rate constants by this mechanism.The elimination of these substances in several waters (a groundwater, a surface water from a public reservoir, and two effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants) was also investigated at neutral pH. The efficiency of the chlorination process with respect to the pharmaceuticals elimination and the formation THMs was also established. It is generally observed that the increasing presence of organic and inorganic matter in the water matrices demand more oxidant agent (chlorine), and therefore, less chlorine is available for the oxidation of these compounds. Finally, half-life times and oxidant exposures (CT) required for the removal of 99% of the four pharmaceuticals are also evaluated. These parameters are useful for the establishment of safety chlorine doses in oxidation or disinfection stages of pharmaceuticals in treatment plants.     

Mechanisms of Escherichia coli inactivation by several disinfectants

The objective of this study was to elucidate dominant mechanisms of inactivation, i.e. surface attack versus intracellular attack, during application of common water disinfectants such as ozone, chlorine dioxide, free chlorine and UV irradiation. Escherichia coli was used as a representative microorganism. During cell inactivation, protein release, lipid peroxidation, cell permeability change, damage in intracellular enzyme and morphological change were comparatively examined. For the same level of cell inactivation by chemical disinfectants, cell surface damage was more pronounced with strong oxidant such as ozone while damage in inner cell components was more apparent with weaker oxidant such as free chlorine. Chlorine dioxide showed the inactivation mechanism between these two disinfectants. The results suggest that the mechanism of cell inactivation is primarily related to the reactivity of chemical disinfectant. In contrast to chemical disinfectants, cell inactivation by UV occurred without any changes measurable with the methods employed. Understanding the differences in inactivation mechanisms presented herein is critical to identify rate-limiting steps involved in the inactivation process as well as to develop more effective disinfection strategies.     

Formation of aldehydes upon ClO2 disinfection

Carbonyl compounds are considered to be the most common ozonation by-products. Apart from well-known chlorites and chlorates, chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) also generates organic by-products. The goal of this paper is an investigation into the influence of disinfection with ClO(2) on the aldehydes formation. Three types of waters were disinfected with different doses of ClO(2) at the various pH values. The results of size exclusion chromatography show that the reaction of ClO(2) with humic fraction of natural organic matter proceeds mainly on an aromatic part of the molecules. The results obtained indicate that the level of carbonyls concentration can significantly increase with the time of ClO(2) reaction with carbonyl precursors in treated water. There is no noticeable correlation between quantity of aldehydes and pH value of disinfected water. The range of "productivity" of aldehydes in water treated with chlorine dioxide is similar to the range estimated for the carbonyls formed upon ozonation.     

氯胺消毒工艺中一氯胺生成效率的影响规律

以上海市某自来水厂滤后水为研究对象,系统考察了氯胺消毒过程中氮源种类、氯氮比、pH值、反应时间、温度、G值和氯投加速率等因素对一氯胺浓度及消毒副产物(DBPs)生成量的影响。结果表明,氮源种类、Cl₂/N质量比和p H值为主要影响因素,其他为次要影响因素。与氯化铵、碳酸铵、醋酸铵和氨水这4种氮源相比,以硫酸铵为氮源可生成较高浓度的一氯胺;当pH值由6.0增大到9.0时,一氯胺浓度(以Cl₂计)由2.611 mg/L升高至4.256 mg/L;随着Cl₂/N质量比由2∶1逐渐增至8∶1,一氯胺浓度先升后降,并在5∶1时达到最大值3.831 mg/L。DBPs浓度随Cl₂/N质量比、反应时间、温度和氯投加速率的增加而升高,随G值的增大而降低;而随着pH值由6.0增加到9.0,DBPs浓度先降低后略有增加。自来水厂氯胺消毒工艺中一氯胺生成的最佳工艺条件如下:以硫酸铵为氮源,Cl₂/N质量比为(4∶1)~(5∶1),pH值为中性或碱性,反应时间为2 h,温度为25℃左右,G值为300 s-1,混匀慢速加氯。     

ClO2消毒涉及毒性问题的探讨

对二氧化氯 Cl O2 消毒无机副产物亚氯酸盐 Cl O2 - 和氯酸盐 Cl O3- 来源进行了分析 ,高浓度的 Cl O2 、Cl O2 - 和 Cl O3- 的毒性主要与血液系统有关 ,在相当于人饮用 Cl O2 、Cl O2 - 和 Cl O3- 混合溶液 1 60倍的动物血液常规检测中未发现异常 ,Ames试验显示试验浓度的 Cl O2 、Cl O2 - 和 Cl O3-水溶液不具有致突变作用 .     

Kinetics of reactions between chlorine and the cyanobacterial toxins microcystins

Blooms of cyanobacteria can give rise to the production of toxins which contaminate drinking water sources. Among the oxidants and disinfectants typically applied in waterworks, chlorine has been found to be effective for the degradation of microcystins. In the present study, unknown second-order rate constants for the reactions of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), -RR and -YR with chlorine were determined over a wide pH range. It was found that an increase of pH has a negative effect on the microcystin degradation rate. Apparent second-order rate constant for the chlorination of MC-LR at 20 degrees C varied from 475 M(-1)s(-1) at pH 4.8 to 9.8 M(-1)s(-1) at pH 8.8. From these apparent second-order rate constants, rate constants for the reactions of MC-LR with hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite (ClO-) were evaluated. Half-life times ranged from minutes at pH 6 to 1 h at pH 8 for a constant residual chlorine concentration of 1.0-0.5 mgl(-1), typical of oxidation pre-treatment and final disinfection. Similar reactivity with chlorine was found for MC-RR and MC-YR. Therefore, chlorination is a feasible option for microcystin degradation during oxidation and disinfection processes, and can be applied in drinking water treatment in case of cyanobacterial toxin risk if the pH is kept below 8.     

Oxidation of pharmaceuticals during water treatment with chlorine dioxide

The potential of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for the oxidation of pharmaceuticals during water treatment was assessed by determining second-order rate constants for the reaction with selected environmentally relevant pharmaceuticals. Out of 9 pharmaceuticals only the 4 following compounds showed an appreciable reactivity with ClO2 (in brackets apparent second-order rate constants at pH 7 and T = 20 degrees C): the sulfonamide antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (6.7 x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1)), the macrolide antibiotic roxithromycin (2.2 x 10(2) M(-1) s(-1)), the estrogen 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (approximately 2 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1)), and the antiphlogistic diclofenac (1.05 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1)). Experiments performed using natural water showed that ClO2 also reacted fast with other sulfonamides and macrolides, the natural hormones estrone and 17beta-estradiol as well as 3 pyrazolone derivatives (phenazone, propylphenazone, and dimethylaminophenazone). However, many compounds in the study were ClO2 refractive. Experiments with lake water and groundwater that were partly performed at microgram/L to nanogram/L levels proved that the rate constants determined in pure water could be applied to predict the oxidation of pharmaceuticals in natural waters. Compared to ozone, ClO2 reacted more slowly and with fewer compounds. However, it reacted faster with the investigated compounds than chlorine. Overall, the results indicate that ClO2 will only be effective to oxidize certain compound classes such as the investigated classes of sulfonamide and macrolide antibiotics, and estrogens.     

Effects of disinfectant and biofilm on the corrosion of cast iron pipes in a reclaimed water distribution system

The effects of disinfection and biofilm on the corrosion of cast iron pipe in a model reclaimed water distribution system were studied using annular reactors (ARs). The corrosion scales formed under different conditions were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the bacterial characteristics of biofilm on the surface were determined using several molecular methods. The corrosion scales from the ARs with chlorine included predominantly α-FeOOH and Fe₂O₃, while CaPO₃(OH)·2H₂O and α-FeOOH were the predominant phases after chloramines replaced chlorine. Studies of the consumption of chlorine and iron release indicated that the formation of dense oxide layers and biofilm inhibited iron corrosion, causing stable lower chlorine decay. It was verified that iron-oxidizing bacteria (IOB) such as Sediminibacterium sp., and iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) such as Shewanella sp., synergistically interacted with the corrosion product to prevent further corrosion. For the ARs without disinfection, α-FeOOH was the predominant phase at the primary stage, while CaCO₃ and α-FeOOH were predominant with increasing time. The mixed corrosion-inducing bacteria, including the IRB Shewanella sp., the IOB Sediminibacterium sp., and the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) Limnobacter thioxidans strain, promoted iron corrosion by synergistic interactions in the primary period, while anaerobic IRB became the predominant corrosion bacteria, preventing further corrosion via the formation of protective layers.     

Survival and viability of Helicobacter pylori after inoculation into chlorinated drinking water

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of chlorine water treatment on Helicobacter pylori and to study the succession of cellular alterations in response to chlorine exposure. H. pylori NCTC 11637 reference strain was used for inoculating water samples. The culturability, substrate responsiveness combined with fluorescent in situ hybridization detection (DVC-FISH assay), RNA content, DNA content, and mRNA changes of H. pylori cells were analyzed. Culturability was lost at 5 min in water with 0.96 mg/l of free chlorine. Viable cells were detected by DVC-FISH after 3h of exposure to chlorine but not after 24h. The percentage of coccoid forms was higher than spiral forms after 40s of chlorine exposure, but even after 24h, FISH detection revealed the presence of spiral cells. After 24h, amplification of the specific H. pylori 16S rDNA gene was achieved. Expression of the vacA gene was detected with the same intensity at all time points tested, demonstrating that these genes are expressed in non-culturable H. pylori cells. Levels of 16S rRNA were constant during the chlorine treatment, so killing of bacteria with chlorine probably does not involve ribosome degradation. According to our results, H. pylori could survive to disinfection practices normally used in drinking water treatment in the viable but non-culturable form, which would allow them to reach final consumption points and, at the same time, enable them to be undetectable by culture methods.