Evaluation of High Level Ozone Inactivation of Giardia muris Using an Animal Infectivity Model

Abstract

Ozone inactivation of Giardia muris cysts was investigated in laboratory phosphate buffer (pH 6.7; 22°C) at bench-scale using four ozone dose levels and two contact times. The C3H/HeN mouse model was used to assess the infectivity of ozone treated cysts. This model was found to be a sensitive measure of cyst inactivation to 99.99% inactivation and beyond. It was also observed that ozone rapidly inactivated G. muris and that ozone concentration appeared to be the most important parameter for predicting ozone inactivation of G. muris cysts.

Key Words:

• Ozone
• Disinfection
• Water
• Giardia
• Infectivity
• Animal Model