Kinetics of electroporation-assisted chlorination of Giardia muris

Abstract

Electroporation is a process whereby the treatment of cells with short pulses of electrical energy enhances the permeability of the cells towards external solutes. In this study we report on the kinetics with which this permeability enhancement can assist with the inactivation of Giardia muris cysts by free chlorine. Cysts in buffer and in partially treated surface water were treated with combinations of electroporation and disinfection. Different electroporation and disinfection conditions were used. From these data, we were able to develop a modified Hom model to describe the data. Under the conditions investigated, electroporation was able to reduce the chemical doses required for cyst inactivation, although it had little or no intrinsic inactivation activity.