What is Legionnaires' disease (Legionella)?

THE REDOX HELLAS is one of the most growing Greek companies operating in the Greek market with specialization in water treatment.

The company was founded by experienced professionals in the field in 2008 and provides products and services for the water processing (swimming tanks, cooling towers, steam boilers, biological cleaning, fat collectors, etc.). In recent years, he has acquired expertise in the prevention and treatment of Legionnaires' disease (Legionella).

What is Legionnaires' disease (Legionella)?

The Legionella bacterium is found in small concentrations in natural water resources (lakes, rivers, and even the sea), more rarely in the soil, and in these concentrations it does not usually pose a risk to public health.

During its collection and distribution (tanks, water heaters, piping networks) it is possible to create conditions suitable for its multiplication, leading its initially harmless concentrations to very high and dangerous for humans colonies.

The three factors favoring its development are:

1. Temperature:

Temperatures between 20C – 42C with an ideal of 35C. Legionella does not multiply below 20C (which is why it is usually not detected in cold water when the installation is correct) and is killed above 45C, logarithmically.

2. Food:

The Legionella bacterium feeds on other bacteria that are also naturally present in the water as well as amoebae, protozoa, and that may compose or contain the biofilm that has been created inside pipes or tanks.

3. Stagnation:

Legionella needs a stable environment to multiply. A continuous flow would not allow the colonies to reach dangerous limits even if the above conditions were satisfied. Large water storage tanks, heaters and "dead" spots in networks ensure this factor.

Extremely resistant, it can remain dormant and when the above three factors are met, start multiplying, doubling its number every two hours or so. The places it can "hide" are invisible to the naked eye and are calcium deposits (salts), rust and slime. Legionnaires' disease

This disease is a very severe type of pneumonia with a mortality rate of around 15% in healthy people and around 40% in special groups (infants, elderly, immunosuppressed people, avid smokers, etc.). It has an incubation time of 2-10 days and symptoms appear about 3-6 days after exposure.

Legionnaires' disease

This bacterium infects humans through the respiratory tract. It cannot be transported by itself and therefore uses aerosols or microdroplets as transport "capsules". Points where such droplets are produced are the showers, the fountains, aquariums, swimming pools, spas, therapeutic humidifiers, room humidifiers and above all cooling towers. Upon inhalation, it settles deep in the lungs and begins its destructive action there, feeding on macrophages and epithelial cells of the lung, where it reproduces. Legionella is not transmitted from person to person and due to its nature it cannot invade the body through water or food (it seeks cavities that exist in the lungs but not in the stomach).

The above pathogenic microorganisms are mainly found in:

• Domestic water heating systems
• Air condition
• Showers
• Cooling towers and other water spray systems
• Whirlpools

Apart from the water, which serves the spread of the various species of Legionella, other elements that help their spread are the biofilms of algae, which are present in every piping or duct and on the walls of the tanks, as well as the creation of any kind of sedimentary layering (salts, etc. .), which is a focus of accumulation of the above bacteria. The above leads to network energy losses at a rate of 30%. legionnaires' disease

The issue of Legionnaires' disease prevention is addressed by adding to the water network DUOZON L100, a patented German product based on stabilized chlorine dioxide.

The usual methods for combating the various species of legionella appear severely disadvantages:

Thermal Shock

1. It cannot be applied during continuous water collection
2. By applying the above method, end-user pipelines that have no contact with hot water circulation are not covered
3. High energy costs and consumption of large amounts of water
4. Risk of scalding in the high heating phase
5. Network stress/Increased pressures in filters and pipes
6. Corrosion of metal surfaces
7. Formation of deposits and sediments in the pipelines
8. Reduction of effectiveness of chemical additives
9. Overheating of E/M equipment
10. Consumption of working hours

Sterilization with ultraviolet radiation

1. Auxiliary measure, because in addition to the requirements for water purity, the above method is only effective in relation to certain issues and does not have a retarding effect. A temporary disinfection with chemical products is always considered necessary
2. Consumption of working hours

Chlorination

1. May create carcinogenic derivatives
2. There is difficulty in keeping chlorine in hot water
3. It is corrosive in high concentrations
4. Difficulty dechlorinating
5. It is a function of pH
6. Consumption of working hours

In all these methods, the algal biofilms, which are responsible for the reappearance of bacteria in the pipes and tank walls, are not destroyed. legionnaires' disease

The company REDOX HELLAS, with the use of the disinfectant Duozon L100, offers an effective and at the same time economical solution in the fight against legionella. The action of the disinfectant is based on use stabilized chlorine dioxide.

Simple chlorine dioxide has the following disadvantages compared to DUOZON L100:

• It is a product of mixing 2 products which is an explosive mixture
• There is a Need for dose balance in water
• Needs frequent cleaning of injection valve in hard water
• Specialized personnel and IT equipment are needed

 Presentation of Duozon L100 features:

1. It is a versatile effective disinfectant
2. It is a ready-to-use product
3. It has excellent bactericidal properties, as well as excellent sporicidal, viricidal and phytocidal action.
4. It has a wide pH range (4-10) and an autonomous sterilizing action, which ensures permanent sterilization.
5. It has a long-lasting bacteriostatic effect.
6. Causes disintegration of biofilms in piping and tank walls.
7. It does not allow the formation of dangerous decomposition products such as chloramines, trihalomethanes and chlorophenols.
8. With the above disinfectant, substances that cause the appearance of odors and a change in the taste of water are transformed or not even produced.
9. It is stabilized Chlorine Dioxide
10. High redox potential
11. High concentration product > 109 g/l
12. It is not an explosive mixture

Due to its retarding action, Duozon L100 works simultaneously as a preventive measure, but also as a means for the basic sterilization of pipes and tanks. The technical costs are limited only to the installation of the dosing pump.

ADDRESS: KREMOU 49-51, KALLITHEA 176 76, GREECE TEL & FAX: 213 0342797,

E-MAIL: info@redoxhellas.com, HTTP//: www.redoxhellas.com