In dental clinics, the infections may be acquired through contaminated devices, air, and water. Aerosolized water may contain bacteria, grown into the biofilm of dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). We evaluated a disinfection method based on water osmosis and chlorination with chlorine dioxide (O-CD), applied to DUWL of five dental clinics. Municipal water was chlorinated with O-CD device before feeding all DUWLs. Samplings were performed on water/air samples in order to research total microbial counts at 22-37 degrees C, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella spp., and chlorine values. Water was collected from the taps, spittoons, and air/water syringes. Air was sampled before, during, and after 15 min of aerosolizing procedure. Legionella and P. aeruginosa resulted as absent in all water samples, which presented total microbial counts almost always at 0 CFU/mL. Mean values of total chlorine ranged from 0.18-0.23 mg/L. Air samples resulted as free from Legionella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Total microbial counts decreased from the pre-aerosolizing (mean 2.1 x 10(2) CFU/m(3)) to the post-aerosolizing samples (mean 1.5 x 10 CFU/m(3)), while chlorine values increased from 0 to 0.06 mg/L. O-CD resulted as effective against the biofilm formation in DUWLs. The presence of residual activity of chlorine dioxide also allowed the bacteria reduction from air, at least at one meter from the aerosolizing source.

Effectiveness of a Water Disinfection Method Based on Osmosis and Chlorine Dioxide for the Prevention of Microbial Contamination in Dental Practices

Totaro, Michele
;
Badalucco, Federica;Papini, Francesca;Mannocci, Marina;Casini, Beatrice;Baggiani, Angelo
Ultimo
2022-01-01

Abstract

In dental clinics, the infections may be acquired through contaminated devices, air, and water. Aerosolized water may contain bacteria, grown into the biofilm of dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). We evaluated a disinfection method based on water osmosis and chlorination with chlorine dioxide (O-CD), applied to DUWL of five dental clinics. Municipal water was chlorinated with O-CD device before feeding all DUWLs. Samplings were performed on water/air samples in order to research total microbial counts at 22-37 degrees C, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella spp., and chlorine values. Water was collected from the taps, spittoons, and air/water syringes. Air was sampled before, during, and after 15 min of aerosolizing procedure. Legionella and P. aeruginosa resulted as absent in all water samples, which presented total microbial counts almost always at 0 CFU/mL. Mean values of total chlorine ranged from 0.18-0.23 mg/L. Air samples resulted as free from Legionella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Total microbial counts decreased from the pre-aerosolizing (mean 2.1 x 10(2) CFU/m(3)) to the post-aerosolizing samples (mean 1.5 x 10 CFU/m(3)), while chlorine values increased from 0 to 0.06 mg/L. O-CD resulted as effective against the biofilm formation in DUWLs. The presence of residual activity of chlorine dioxide also allowed the bacteria reduction from air, at least at one meter from the aerosolizing source.
2022
Totaro, Michele; Badalucco, Federica; Papini, Francesca; Grassi, Niccolò; Mannocci, Marina; Baggiani, Matteo; Tuvo, Benedetta; Casini, Beatrice; Mench...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ijerph-19-10562-v2.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Documento in Post-print
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 1.48 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.48 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1161928
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 1
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact