TP22-24: Managing Legionella Using an Innovative Bacterial Control System and Rapid Genetic Legionella Testing

The greatest challenges for managing the risk of Legionella pneumophila in evaporative cooling water systems have been the lack of effective biocide treatment strategies and the lack of timely Legionella test results. The recent development of an on-site, on-line, rapid genetic test method for Legionella and an innovative plasma disinfection system (PDS) allows control of the population of all planktonic and sessile bacteria, including Legionella, other gram-negative bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria in a model evaporative cooling water system without the use of toxic non-oxidizing biocides. This paper summarizes the results of a laboratory study using a model cooling tower and on-site, rapid genetic test method for Legionella and results from the follow-on study of a cooling tower at a corporate headquarters of a medical device company that documented the validity of the results of the laboratory study. Researchers documented the value of the on-site, rapid test methods using a modified Legionella culture test.