Pick, F.C., Fish, K.E., Husband, S. et al. (1 more author) (2021) Non-invasive biofouling monitoring to assess drinking water distribution system performance. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12. 730344. ISSN 1664-302X
Abstract
Biofilms are endemic in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS), forming on all water and infrastructure interfaces. They can pose risks to water quality and hence consumers. Our understanding of these biofilms is limited, in a large part due to difficulties in sampling them without unacceptable disruption. A novel, non-destructive and non-disruptive biofilm monitoring device (BMD), which includes use of flow cytometry analysis, was developed to assess biofouling rates. Laboratory based experiments established optimal configurations and verified reliable cell enumeration. Deployment at three operational field sites validated assessment of different biofouling rates. These differences in fouling rates were not obvious from bulk water sampling and analysis, but did have a strong correlation with long-term performance data of the associated networks. The device offers the potential to assess DWDS performance in a few months, compared to the number of years required to infer findings from historical customer contact data. Such information is vital to improve the management of our vast, complex and uncertain drinking water supply systems; for example rapidly quantifying the benefits of improvements in water treatment works or changes to maintenance of the network.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 Pick, Fish, Husband and Boxall. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. |
Keywords: | biofouling; biofilms; water quality; drinking water distribution systems; flow cytometry |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL EP/N010124/1 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/N010124/1 SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE WATER PLC UNSPECIFIED UK WATER INDUSTRY RESEARCH LIMITED DW/02/C/209 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 2450167 UK WATER INDUSTRY RESEARCH LIMITED DW/02/B/208 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 01 Nov 2021 16:56 |
Last Modified: | 01 Nov 2021 16:56 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Frontiers Media SA |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3389/fmicb.2021.730344 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:179873 |