Household effectiveness vs. laboratory efficacy of point-of-use chlorination.

ABSTRACT: Treatment of water at the household level offers a promising approach to combat the global burden of diarrheal diseases. In particular, chlorination of drinking water has been a widely promoted strategy due to persistence of residual chlorine after initial treatment. However, the degree to which chlorination can reduce microbial levels in a controlled setting (efficacy) or in a household setting (effectiveness) can vary as a function of chlorine characteristics, source water characteristics, and household conditions. To gain more understanding of these factors, we carried out an observational study within households in rural communities of northern coastal Ecuador. We found that the efficacy of chlorine treatment under controlled conditions was significantly better than its household effec

SUBMITTER: Levy K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3975601 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature