Dr. Zhe Zhang, special pathogens director at SanAir Technologies Laboratory.Dr. Zhang's article -- "Legionella control by chlorine dioxide in hospital water systems" -- details a study he and colleagues made of two hospitals where chlorine dioxide introduced into water systems resulted in significant decreases in Legionella bacteria presence.
"No cases of healthcare acquired legionellosis have been identified in the post-disinfection period in these two hospitals," the article noted.
"The study evaluated the safety and efficacy of chlorine dioxide fed into the incoming main water line to control Legionella bacteria in two hospital water systems," the article's introduction stated. It concluded: "The study indicates that chlorine dioxide is a promising disinfectant for controlling not only Legionella but also other microorganisms in drinking water."
The American Water Works Association, which dates from the late 19th century, today has over 57,000 members in more than 100 countries.
The article's publication coincides closely with SanAir's achievement of the U.S. Center for Disease Control's "ELITE" certificate of proficiency in isolating and identifying Legionella.
To earn the recognition, SanAir was required to meet a high level of professional standards, including successfully isolating and identifying Legionella in six sample tests sent twice over a 12-month period by the CDC to SanAir's suburban Richmond laboratory.
"Dr. Zhang's article brings international recognition to our lab," said SanAir president Sean McGlynn, "and I am appreciative of his and his colleagues' work in helping us achieve what no more than 10 percent of our competing labs in the U.S. have done with identifying Legionella."
SanAir has also earned accreditations by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), reflecting the nation's highest standards in the asbestos testing industry, and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).
SanAir is a full-service laboratory offering analytical and consulting services specialized in asbestos, bacterial detection and identification, environmental microbiology, Legionella, and materials testing. Its client base includes large conglomerates, environmental hygienists, developers, government agencies and restoration and remediation contractors.
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