Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shengxin Sun, Yu Zhou, Haitao Yu, Weiying Li, Wenying Zhou, Guanyuan Luo, Wei Zhang
Summary: In this study, the impact of different pipe materials on water quality and microbial communities was investigated using static and dynamic devices. The results showed that steel plastic composite pipe, ductile iron pipe, and cast iron pipe had better water quality, while ductile iron pipe had the highest microbial diversity. Furthermore, various nitrate-reducing bacteria were identified, with nitrate-reducing bacteria being the most dominant in all pipe materials.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xucheng Cai, Yuxing Hu, Shuang Zhou, Die Meng, Siqing Xia, Hong Wang
Summary: This study investigated the composition and dynamics of eukaryotes and bacteria in secondary water supply systems (SWSSs). The results showed that eukaryotes mainly consisted of protists and metazoans, with amoebae accounting for a small proportion. Significant shifts in both bacterial and eukaryotic communities were observed during water transportation, with larger changes in the eukaryotic community. Bacterial community assembly was primarily governed by stochastic processes, while eukaryotic community assembly was shaped by deterministic processes. The study also found variations in bacterial communities among different habitats within SWSS tanks, while eukaryotic communities showed minor differences. Additionally, tank materials and SWSS configuration were found to significantly affect amoeba community and the abundances of Legionella and Mycobacterium. Overall, this study provides insights into SWSS microbial ecology and has implications for SWSS management and health risk control.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ziyi Zhou, Dan Zhong, Zhijun Zhang, Wencheng Ma, Jiongleng Chen, Meng Zhuang, Feiyu Li, Jingna Zhang, Yisong Zhu, Peng Su
Summary: This study investigates the role of biofilm in the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS). The results show that pipe wall biofilm is an important pathway for ARG propagation, and vertical gene transfer (VGT) in biofilm is higher than in water, regardless of pipe type.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tuqiao Zhang, Pubin Liao, Lei Fang, Dongyang Zhang
Summary: The effect of booster disinfection on antibiotic resistance and bacterial community in water supply systems was investigated. Chlorine was more efficient in controlling microbes and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) than chloramine. After booster disinfection, the relative abundance of ARGs increased and then decreased along the pipeline. Pipe materials and disinfectant type affected antibiotic resistance and bacterial community.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2024)
Article
Microbiology
Debbie Lee, Gennaro Calendo, Kristin Kopec, Rebekah Henry, Scott Coutts, David McCarthy, Heather M. Murphy
Summary: The study found that pipe material has an impact on the diversity, bacterial composition, and prevalence of opportunistic pathogens in biofilm of drinking water distribution systems (DWDS).
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Claire Thom, Cindy J. Smith, Graeme Moore, Paul Weir, Umer Z. Ijaz
Summary: The meta-analysis of Illumina 16S rRNA datasets from drinking water systems showed that treatment significantly reduces species abundance and richness, with chlorination having the greatest impact on individual taxa relationships. The study highlights the potential uses of 16S rRNA sequencing for water utilities, including pathogen detection, risk assessment, and monitoring of microbial community changes.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Soon-Thiam Khu, Changchun Xin, Tianzhi Wang, Ying Zhang, Xin Zuo
Summary: It has been found that the quality of drinking water is deteriorated during its transportation through the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) due to the detachment of biofilm from the pipe wall to the bulk water. This study investigates the effects of hydraulic conditions, such as flow velocity and direction, on biofilm formation and detachment. The results show that fluctuant flow velocity conditions lead to the thickest biofilm and the lowest adhesion force, and the reverse flow condition causes biofilm detachment. This research enhances our understanding of the influence of different hydraulic conditions on biofilm in the DWDS and provides insights on how to operate the DWDS effectively to minimize biofilm detachment.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zebing Zhu, Lili Shan, Xinyun Zhang, Fengping Hu, Dan Zhong, Yixing Yuan, Jie Zhang
Summary: The study investigated the formation of multi-species biofilms in simulated DWDS and found that community-intrinsic properties could affect the formation of multi-species biofilms. The resistance of multi-species biofilms to chlorine was influenced by specific bacteria, with some promoting growth and others inhibiting it. The study concluded that community-intrinsic properties were maintained at low disinfectant concentrations but weakened at higher concentrations, affecting the resistance of microbial communities to disinfectants.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gonzalo Del Olmo, Stewart Husband, Carmen Sanchez Briones, Adela Soriano, Carolina Calero Preciado, Javier Macian, Isabel Douterelo
Summary: Regardless of treatment, disinfection, or operational practices, drinking water distribution systems in Mediterranean countries host diverse microbiomes with biofilm communities. Utilizing flow and turbidity monitoring to manage mobilisation of pipe wall biofilms can help maintain water quality.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Liping Ma, Xiao-Tao Jiang, Lei Guan, Bing Li, Tong Zhang
Summary: This study used deep sequencing of 16S rRNA genes to investigate the microbial diversity and biogeography of household drinking water samples from 29 provinces/regions in China. The results showed that the spatial turnover of drinking water communities is influenced by rainfall and water source river. Potential pathogenic species that may pose health risks were also identified.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yanchu Ke, Wenjun Sun, Shuming Liu, Ying Zhu, Shuang Yan, Xiuli Chen, Shuguang Xie
Summary: This study examines the functional attributes of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) and their associations with seasonality. The microbial metabolic traits of biofilms collected during different seasons were analyzed, revealing significant differences in functional attributes among seasons. The results show that genes associated with various metabolic pathways, including aromatic metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis and degradation, and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, were upregulated in the summer due to higher temperatures and chlorine levels. Nitrogen, sulfur, glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycling, and carbon fixation pathways were also reconstructed and displayed according to the sampling season. The study highlights the diverse functional genes in DWDS biofilms, their synergetic interrelationships, and the impacts of seasonality on functional attributes.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tara M. Webster, Alexander McFarland, Matthew J. Gebert, Angela M. Oliverio, Lauren M. Nichols, Robert R. Dunn, Erica M. Hartmann, Noah Fierer
Summary: This study characterized bacterial communities in showerheads across the United States, finding associations between water supply type, source, and chemistry with bacterial community composition. Public water-supplied showerheads had bacteria enriched in antibiotic resistance genes, while private well water-sourced showerheads had higher levels of genes related to oxidative stress and membrane transporters.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinyue Zhang, Tao Lin, Fuchun Jiang, Xue Zhang, Shiyu Wang, Shisheng Zhang
Summary: Pipe material and chlorination significantly influence the structure and microbial community of biofilms, with polyethylene showing lower biomass and microbial diversity. Chlorination inhibits bacterial colonization and influences the functional traits of certain bacteria genera.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Warren Evan Blyth, Esmaeil Shahsavari, Arturo Aburto-Medina, Andrew S. Ball, Andrew Mark Osborn
Summary: This study investigated the bacterial communities in different types of drinking fountains in Melbourne, Australia. The results showed significant differences in the composition and diversity of bacterial communities between different fountain types and between water and biofilm. Regular testing of samples from individual locations is essential for determining microbial quality.
Article
Ecology
Jia Niu, Daogan Chen, Chenghao Shang, Liang Xiao, Yue Wang, Wuqiang Zeng, Xianliang Zheng, Ziyi Chen, Xupu Du, Xiaochen Chen
Summary: This study collected biofilm samples from a drinking water distribution system in China to analyze the diversity and abundance of bacteria and archaea. The results showed that archaea were mainly found in the water mains, while bacteria were primarily found in the branch pipes and distal parts of the water mains. The study also found that pipe diameter could be a major influencing factor on bacterial community structure.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Mohammed Alharbi, Pei-Ying Hong, Taous-Meriem Laleg-Kirati
Summary: This study proposes a neural network-based approach to estimate bacterial concentration in different stages of wastewater treatment processes, using WGAN to generate synthetic data. The method was tested with two datasets, showing that WGAN successfully generates realistic samples for training LSTM neural network, which outperforms traditional methods (MLP-NN) in bacterial estimation performance.
JOURNAL OF PROCESS CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sakandar Rauf, Nouran Tashkandi, Jose Ilton de Oliveira Filho, Claudia Iluhi Oviedo-Osornio, Muhammad S. Danish, Pei-Ying Hong, Khaled N. Salama
Summary: In this study, a simple and efficient method for detecting and counting E. coli in water samples was developed, which involved the use of a DNAzyme sensor, microfluidics, and computer vision strategies. The method successfully isolated E. coli into individual droplets, and the reaction of DNAzyme mixture with E. coli's intracellular material resulted in fluorescence signal, indicating the presence of E. coli. The computer vision algorithm accurately detected and counted the fluorescent droplets, providing a reliable measurement of E. coli in the sample.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
C. Sanchez-Huerta, L. Fortunato, T. Leiknes, P. -y. Hong
Summary: This study evaluated the efficiency of Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) in removing organic micropollutants (OMPs) from water and found that it can effectively remove a wide range of OMPs while achieving high levels of nitrification and COD removal.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Abbrar Labban, Ahmed A. Shibl, Maria Ll. Calleja, Pei-Ying Hong, Xose Anxelu G. Moran
Summary: This study investigated the growth and gene expression changes of a Prochlorococcus strain from the Red Sea under different temperatures. The results showed that the growth rate and cell size of the Prochlorococcus increased significantly with temperature. However, at 30 degrees C, genes involved in carbon fixation and photosynthetic electron transport were downregulated, indicating a temperature response mechanism. The study suggests that Prochlorococcus can modulate its gene expression to adapt to lower temperatures but is unable to cope with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees C.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gustavo Vasconcelos Bastos Paulino, Ciro Ramon Felix, Francisca Andrea da Silva Oliveira, Cinta Gomez-Silvan, Vania M. M. Melo, Gary L. Andersen, Melissa Fontes Landell
Summary: This study investigated the microbiota associated with the mucus and tissue of an endemic coral species, Siderastrea stellata, in Brazilian northeast coral reefs. The results showed that the microbial community structure was influenced by seasonality and the health status of the coral. Additionally, the impact of river runoff on the coral microbiota was not as significant as expected.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Barbara Bastos de Freitas, Sebastian Overmans, Julie Sanchez Medina, Pei Ying Hong, Kyle J. Lauersen
Summary: Using anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR) for wastewater treatment is more sustainable than using aerobic reactors. The effluent from AnMBR consists of a mixed gas stream of methane and carbon dioxide, as well as waters containing ammonia (N) and phosphate (P). This study investigates the use of engineered Chlamydomonas reinhardtii algae to grow directly in AnMBR effluent with CO2 concentrations found in AnMBR off-gas. The results demonstrate that the engineered strain can thrive in non-sterile effluent, remove N and P to meet discharge or reuse limits, and tolerate extreme outdoor environmental conditions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhetai Hu, Shihu Hu, Liu Ye, Haoran Duan, Ziping Wu, Pei-Ying Hong, Zhiguo Yuan, Min Zheng
Summary: This study presents a new technology roadmap for wastewater management, focusing on resource recovery rather than pollutant removal. A novel use of FeCl3 in an integrated anaerobic wastewater treatment and anammox process was developed, showing stable suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria and excess sludge reduction. Experimental assessments using a laboratory-scale system demonstrated good effluent quality, with potential for phosphorus recovery and bioenergy production. The system was found to have low energy consumption and a net energy production of about 0.11 kWh/m3-wastewater.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tiannyu Wang, Changzhi Wang, Yevhen Myshkevych, David Mantilla-Calderon, Erik Talley, Pei-Ying Hong
Summary: This study conducted long-term surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater and combined it with meta-data to identify the factors contributing to the spread of the virus within the local community. The findings showed that the viral load in wastewater was low during strict lockdown but increased after the lockdown was lifted and global travel resumed. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples and the sequencing of variants provided valuable information for public health response and future outbreak control.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Veljko Prodanovic, Kefeng Zhang, Min Zheng, Shihu Hu, Pei-Ying Hong, Zhiguo Yuan, Ana Deletic
Summary: Vegetated biofiltration systems are widely used for urban stormwater and greywater treatment, but the impact of high ammonium strength wastewater on nitrification process is not well understood. A laboratory-based column study was conducted to investigate dominant nitrification mechanisms. The results showed that appropriate aerobic contact time, oxygenation and alkalinity buffering are necessary for effective nitrification.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Claudia Sanchez-Huerta, Julie Sanchez Medina, Changzhi Wang, Luca Fortunato, Pei-Ying Hong
Summary: The role of sorption and biodegradation in a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) was investigated for the removal of 10 organic micropollutants (OMPs). It was found that biodegradation dominated the removal of selected OMPs at all biofilm stages, and the removal rate increased with the increase of biofilm thickness.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shahid Chaudhary, Zahir Ali, Muhammad Tehseen, Evan F. Haney, Aaron Pantoja-Angles, Salwa Alshehri, Tiannyu Wang, Gerard J. Clancy, Maya Ayach, Charlotte Hauser, Pei-Ying Hong, Samir M. Hamdan, Robert E. W. Hancock, Magdy Mahfouz
Summary: This study demonstrates the efficient production of bioactive amidated AMPs through transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana line expressing the mammalian enzyme peptidylglycine alpha-amidating mono-oxygenase. The AMPs purified from plants exhibit robust killing activity against highly virulent and antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and can prevent their biofilm formation when used in combination with antibiotics. The techno-economic analysis also shows the potential economic advantages and scalability for industrial use of this platform.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Fatimah Almulhim, Pei-Ying Hong
Summary: This study evaluated six protein extraction methods and identified PreOmics as the most effective method for extracting proteins from biofilms in treated wastewater. The findings also showed that SDS and PreOmics were effective in breaking down bacterial cell walls.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shuo Zhang, Mohamed R. Tchalala, Hong Cheng, Julie S. Medina, Yanghui Xiong, Pei-Ying Hong
Summary: This study suggests using anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) as the main treatment technology for future Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs). The treatment efficiencies, technoeconomic costs, and global warming potential of AnMBRs are comparable to other biological technologies. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed for the application of AnMBRs in DWTPs.
CURRENT OPINION IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kefeng Zhang, Veljko Prodanovic, Hengke Zhao, Min Zheng, Shihu Hu, Pei-Ying Hong, Zhiguo Yuan, Ana Deletic
Summary: This study investigated the performance of vegetated biofiltration systems (VBS) in treating nitrogen-rich wastewater. The results showed that VBS was able to effectively treat nitrogen through traditional denitrification and the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process. The type of carbon source and retention time had significant impacts on nitrogen removal, while dissolved oxygen levels did not. Microbial analysis revealed differences between different carbon sources and the presence of a suspected anammox genus in the system.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Automation & Control Systems
Yasser Algoufily, Peiying Hong, Taous-Meriem Laleg Kirati
Summary: This paper presents a fouling monitoring and prediction tool designed for MBR, which calculates the membrane total resistance based on states related to membrane fouling and predicts future TMP cycles using an artificial neural network algorithm. Furthermore, an artificial neural network controller is implemented to control temperature and MLSS around their desired setpoints, minimizing disturbances in both states.
