Evaluación de métodos de desinfección de agua para consumo humano en comunidades vulnerables

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water constitutes an essential human right, whose absence increases the risk of waterborne diseases and undermines quality of life. Its deficiency in vulnerable communities further heightens the risk of such diseases, justifying the evaluation of low-cost and easily applicable disinfection strategies. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of physical and chemical disinfection techniques applied at the point of use, complemented by the development of a community prototype for microbiological detection and treatment. The hypothesis proposed that boiling, chlorination, and solar disinfection can significantly reduce bacterial load in contexts with limited sanitation infrastructure. The reference strain Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was employed as an indicator organism. The microbiological analysis included the application of the Most Probable Number (MPN) method, the enumeration of Colony-Forming Units (CFU), and cultivation on selective media. The results obtained were compared with the quality parameters established in the national standard NTE INEN 1108:2020 and in the international guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Findings demonstrated that boiling eliminated the bacterial load within five minutes, solar disinfection achieved the same effect after eight hours of exposure, and chlorination was effective at concentrations of 1.0 mg/L, with total elimination at 1.5 mg/L. These methods represent viable alternatives to ensure microbiologically safe water in rural communities. Keywords: Coliforms, Escherichia coli, water treatment methods, microbiological indicators, public health.