Optimizing Biofilm Processes for Drinking Water Treatment

优化饮用水处理的生物膜工艺

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-03780
• 负责人: Gagnon, Graham
• 金额: $ 10.79万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=749152
• 关键词: Optimizing; Biofilm; Processes; Drinking; Water

Over the past six years, Dr. Gagnon's team has studied biofilms and their role in drinking water processes such as biofiltration and distribution systems. Dr. Gagnon's research was critical in converting a full-scale treatment plant from conventional filtration to biofiltration, while reducing disinfection by-products by 40%. Dr. Gagnon's research in distribution systems has been critical for utilities in their efforts to reduce lead release to drinking water. Over the next five years, Dr. Gagnon's long-term objective is to make new discoveries in biofilm engineering. His research program will explore interactions between biofilm and metals in model drinking water systems. Specifically, his team will develop new approaches to detect extracellular material in biofilms and use these analytical approaches to assess and optimize process design for biofiltration and corrosion. In addition to improving process operations, Dr. Gagnon will develop new clean technologies that (i) use graphene-based epoxies for biocorrosion inhibition and (ii) reverse engineer biofilm properties to create bioactive surfaces to promote bioadhesion of colloidal material and dissolved metals.This research program will provide a training ground for multi-disciplinary research where undergraduate (UG) trainees through to PhD students can develop new skills in corrosion chemistry, microbiology, process engineering and materials engineering. Highly qualified personnel (HQP) in Dr. Gagnon's laboratory work as part of intersecting teams based on research area and level of training, which allows for knowledge transfer and leadership opportunities. In the last 6-years, Dr. Gagnon has trained 19 PhD, 39 Master's and 35 UG students. Alumni from his program have been hired by Health Canada, Halifax Water, LuminUltra Technologies, Associated Engineering and beyond. It is anticipated that 11 HQP (five UG, two Master's, four PhD) will be trained directly from this program, with additional training opportunities available through other leveraged opportunities in Dr. Gagnon's laboratory.This research program will contribute to the understanding of biofilm-metals interactions that cause public health challenges in drinking water systems. One such challenge is the formation of Legionella biofilms (the causative agent for Legionnaires' disease). A total of 88 Legionnaires' disease cases and 12 deaths were reported during the Flint Water Crisis. Legionella has been associated with active biomass concentration, and more recently in the case of Flint, metals release caused by water corrosivity. By contributing to the development of solutions for these types of biofilm-metals interactions, with the novel emphasis on extracellular material, it is anticipated that this research program will help inform applied research in Canada and train new engineers for challenges in the water and clean technology sectors.

在过去的六年中，Gagnon博士的团队研究了生物膜及其在饮用水过程中的作用，例如生物过滤和分配系统。 Gagnon博士的研究对于从常规过滤转换为生物过滤的全面治疗厂至关重要，同时将消毒副产品降低了40％。 Gagnon博士在分销系统方面的研究对于公用事业公司的努力至关重要，以减少饮用水的铅释放。在接下来的五年中，Gagnon博士的长期目标是在生物膜工程方面进行新发现。他的研究计划将探索模型饮用水系统中生物膜与金属之间的相互作用。具体而言，他的团队将开发新的方法来检测生物膜中的细胞外材料，并使用这些分析方法来评估和优化生物过滤和腐蚀的过程设计。除了改进过程操作外，Gagnon博士还将开发新的清洁技术，（i）使用基于石墨烯的环氧树脂进行生物腐蚀抑制作用，以及（ii）反向工程生物膜的特性来创建生物活性表面，以促进胶体材料和溶解的研究计划，以促进训练的研究（ugdiral this this this Grade）。腐蚀化学，微生物学，工艺工程和材料工程的技能。高素质的人员（HQP）在Gagnon博士的实验室工作中，作为基于研究领域和培训水平的相交团队的一部分，这允许知识转移和领导机会。在过去的6年中，Gagnon博士已经培训了19位博士学位，39名硕士和35名UG学生。他的计划的校友已由加拿大卫生部，哈利法克斯水，Luminultra Technologies，相关工程及其他地区聘用。预计将直接通过该计划对11个HQP（五个UG，两名硕士学位，四个博士学位）进行培训，并通过Gagnon博士的实验室中的其他杠杆机会获得更多的培训机会。该研究计划将有助于对生物膜相互作用的理解，从而在饮用水系统中引起公共卫生挑战。一个挑战之一是形成军团菌生物膜（军团疾病的病因）。在弗林特水危机期间，总共报告了88例军团疾病病例和12例死亡。军团菌与活跃的生物质浓度有关，最近在火石的情况下，由于水腐蚀性引起的金属释放。通过为这些类型的生物膜 - 金属相互作用的解决方案的开发做出贡献，并以新颖的重点强调细胞外材料，预计该研究计划将有助于为加拿大的应用研究提供信息，并培训新工程师在水和清洁技术领域的挑战。