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Biological stability of chlorinated and non-chlorinated drinking water

Project

Project Details

Program
Environmental Science and Engineering
Field of Study
​Chemistry, environmental science
Division
Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Center Affiliation
Water Desalination and Reuse Center

Project Description

Drinking water is distributed from the treatment facility to consumers through extended man-made piping systems. The drinking water system should be microbiologically safe and biologically stable (WHO, 2006). The biological stability criterion refers to maintaining the microbial drinking water quality in time and distance from the point of drinking water production up to the point of consumption. This research will be conducted at the unique drinking water distribution system (DWDS) at KAUST a confined network of the same age supplied with reverse osmosis (RO) based drinking water. The aim of the project is to characterize temporal and spatial dynamics in biofilms and microbial community in the water from source to tap with the considerations of the impact of residual disinfectant use The results will allow better understanding whether residual chlorine is needed for distribution of RO produced drinking water and will lead to better insights on the biological stability of the produced water. ​

About the Researcher

Johannes Vrouwenvelder
Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division

Affiliations

Education Profile

  • Ph.D., Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, 2009

Research Interests

a€‹Professor Vrouwenvelder studies microbiological and process technological aspects of water treatment and transport. This includes fouling control of membrane systems and cooling towers, and sensors and tools for biofouling/biofilm monitoring and rapid sensitive microbial water quality monitoring. Additionally, Professor Vrouwenvelder performs numerical modelling of fouling and water treatment system performance, and studies the dynamics of the microbial ecology of water distribution systems.

Selected Publications

  • Early non-destructive biofouling detection and spatial distribution: application of oxygen sensing optodes | N.M. Farhat, M. Staal, A. Siddiqui, S.M. Borisov, S.S. Bucs, J.S. Vrouwenvelder Water Research, Volume 83, p. 10-20, (2015)
  • Dynamics of bacterial communities before and after distribution in a full-scale drinking water network | J. El-Chakhtoura, E. Prest, P. Saikaly, M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, F. Hammes, J.S. Vrouwenvelder Water Research, Volume 74, p. 180-190. (2015)
  • Experimental and numerical characterization of the water flow in spacer-filled channels of spiral-wound membranes | S.S. Bucs, R. Valladares Linares, J.O. Marston, A.I. Radu, J.S. Vrouwenvelder, C. Picioreanu, Water Research, Volume 87, p. 299-310, (2015)
  • Biological stability of drinking water: Controlling factors, methods, and challenges | E.I. Prest, F. Hammes, M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, J.S. VrouwenvelderFrontiers in Microbiology, Volume 7, Issue FEB, Article number 45 (2016)
  • Development and characterization of 3D-printed feed spacers for spiral wound membrane systems | A. Siddiqui, N.M. Farhat, S.S. Bucs, R. Valladares Linares, C. Picioreanu, J.C. Kruithof, M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, J. Kidwell, J.S. Vrouwenvelder, Water Research, Volume 91, p. 55-67, (2016)

Desired Project Deliverables

Operate miniature drinking water distribution networks (preparation of solutions, setting up  and run equipment, problem solving) Sample analysis (biological and chemical analysis, DNA extraction, etc.Data analysis Written and oral presentation of (intermediate) results.​