Convective Mixing in Distal Pipes Exacerbates Legionella pneumophila Growth in Hot Water Plumbing.

ABSTRACT: Legionella pneumophila is known to proliferate in hot water plumbing systems, but little is known about the specific physicochemical factors that contribute to its regrowth. Here, L. pneumophila trends were examined in controlled, replicated pilot-scale hot water systems with continuous recirculation lines subject to two water heater settings (40 °C and 58 °C) and three distal tap water use frequencies (high, medium, and low) with two pipe configurations (oriented upward to promote convective mixing with the recirculating line and downward to prevent it). Water heater temperature setting determined where L. pneumophila regrowth occurred in each system, with an increase of up to 4.4 log gene copies/mL in the 40 °C system tank and recirculating line relative to influent water compared to onl

SUBMITTER: Rhoads WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4810150 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature