How can I kill bacteria in drinking water?

Table of Contents

• What are bacteria?
• Reproduction of bacteria
• Illness caused by bacterial infection
• Bacteria in drinking water

What are bacteria?

Bacteria are microscopic single-cell organisms, which in most cases are one tenth the size of a human body cell. Unlike eukaryotic life forms, which include humans and animals, they do not have a cell nucleus that contains genetic information. Their DNA simply floats behind the cell wall in the cell plasma. Nevertheless, the bacterial cell is kept alive by a type of organelle that is also essential for the vital functions of multicellular organisms. The so-called ribosomes ensure the production of protein in humans, animals and plants as well as in bacteria, which plays an important role in the energy balance. Another characteristic of some bacterial species are the flagella made of pili that surround the bacterial cells and help the organism to move and attach itself.

Reproduction of bacteria

Bacteria reproduce by cell division. This means that the genetic information within the bacterium is copied and then separated. The cell wall then separates in two, so that an identical DNA strand ends up in each of the cell membranes. This process can quickly turn an individual bacterium into an entire colony, as the number of dividing organisms doubles each time. For this reason, bacterial species on the right nutrient medium experience a much faster increase in population than life forms with a more complex reproductive process.

Illness caused by bacterial infection

Bacterial infectious diseases attack the body when certain groups of bacteria infiltrate the human body through one of its openings or through injuries in the skin layer. These settle in the host organism and then multiply. The organism reacts to the attackers by arming itself with helper cells that are supposed to eliminate the bacterial cells. The short-lived generations of bacteria, in turn, defend themselves with ever new strategies of resistance against human or animal defenses. Due to the resulting war of attrition, weakening of the host organism manifests itself in symptoms of illness, which ultimately allow a diagnosis of the bacterial infection. The body can often wipe out the invading bacteria on its own. In some cases, however, antibiotics prescribed by a doctor are also necessary.

Bacteria in drinking water

Because bacteria can be found in every substance and in every place, they can spread even in water that occurs naturally. Tap water is also never completely free of germs. The bacteria settle in the pipes and tubes and are transported by the water flow. In contrast, it can be assumed that bottled mineral water has previously undergone antibacterial filtration. After opening the bottle, however, it is inevitable that bacteria will sneak into the mineral water via the oral mucous membranes and human saliva, as well as through other external influences. Human cultures still react to this risk by boiling water. Very few bacteria survive when the water is brought to the boil using heat. In recent years, however, UV radiation in particular has proven to be an effective tool in combating bacteria.