Why technology often fails to replicate the “natural services” of ecosystems

When we chlorinate water, or use other similar biocides, we create an environment toxic to many microbes (including many fecal-oral parasites). This has saved many millions of lives. However, this same intervention has also favored the persistence of another kind of parasite, nontuberculous mycobacteria. Nontuberculous mycobacteria turn out to be relatively resistant to chlorine. As a result, chlorination  creates  conditions  in  which nontuberculous mycobacteria thrive. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Spillover Effects of Water Supply Infrastructure Development: A Theoretical Model | Asian Development Bank

Asian Water

Drinking Water is Food