급수관내 염소 주입이 미생물의 증식과 부식에 미치는 영향

The Influence of Chlorine Application on Corrosion and Bacterial Growth in Home Plumbing Systems

This research was conducted using a model home plumbing system composed of copper, stainless steel, galvanized iron, carbon steel, and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe. The number of bacteria present in stainless steel pipe and PVC was higher than other pipes. High turbidity and zinc release were found in galvanized iron pipe material and detected during the first 6 months. Conversely, there was a decrease in turbidity and zinc release after 6 months resulting in levels similar to other pipes. Copper concentration decreased as operation times increased. In this experiment, the number of bacteria detected in biofilm for a copper pipe continued to increase. Pipe material influenced bacterial numbers in biofilm and water. This showed that elevated chlorine could not control bacterial growth in biofilm for galvanized iron and stainless steel systems. It also suggested that the dosing of chlorine might not be available for all kinds of pipes. Therefore, another complementary method should be introduced to manage biofilm effectively in water distribution systems.