Which of the following methods is ineffective for treating Cryptosporidium?

Chlorine treatment is considered ineffective for treating Cryptosporidium because this pathogen has a very robust cyst wall that provides significant resistance to chlorine disinfection. While chlorine is effective against many types of microorganisms, it does not effectively inactivate Cryptosporidium oocysts. Research has shown that oocysts can survive chlorination processes, which highlights the limitations of chlorine as a disinfection method for this particular pathogen.

In contrast, other methods such as filtration, ozone treatment, and UV light treatment are effective in removing or inactivating Cryptosporidium. Filtration can capture the oocysts from water, ozone treatment can penetrate the cysts and damage cellular structures, and UV light can effectively penetrate the oocysts’ walls to disrupt their genetic material. Thus, understanding the specific limitations of chlorine helps to highlight why it is not an adequate method for addressing Cryptosporidium contamination.