Inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in water using ultrasonic treatment

Ultrasound in a liquid phase cause mass and heat transfer across the liquid through cavitational processes which act as nanoreactors to generate unstable mechanical equilibrium. The effect of 1 MHz ultrasound on the inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum was investigated. Continuous irradiation of ultrasound (20 min) increased temperature due to cavitational phenomena. Ultrasound irradiation of liquid containing C. parvum showed significant quantitative changes in pH, temperature and inactivation of C. parvum (102.7 oocysts killed/s) with a minimum energy consumption (0.05 oocysts/s).