Oleg V. Shipin

Zinc oxide nanorod mediated visible light photoinactivation of model microbes in water

The inactivation of model microbes in aqueous matrix by visible light photocatalysis as mediated by ZnO nanorods was investigated. ZnO nanorods were grown on glass substrate following a hydrothermal route and employed in the inactivation of gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Bacillus subtilis in MilliQ water. The concentration of Zn(2+) ions in the aqueous matrix, bacterial cell membrane damage, and DNA degradation at post-exposure were also studied. The inactivation efficiencies for both organisms under light conditions were about two times higher than under dark conditions across the cell concentrations assayed. Anomalies in supernatant Zn(2+) concentration were observed under both conditions as compared to control treatments, while cell membrane damage and DNA degradation were observed only under light conditions. Inactivation under dark conditions was hence attributed to the bactericidal effect of Zn(2+) ions, while inactivation under light conditions was due to the combined effects of Zn(2+) ions and photocatalytically mediated electron injection. The reduction of pathogenic bacterial densities by the photocatalytically active ZnO nanorods in the presence of visible light implies potential ex situ application in water decontamination at ambient conditions under sunlight.

Infection risk assessment of diarrhea-related pathogens in a tropical canal network

A quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and diarrhegenic Escherichia coli (DEC) infection was performed using Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the human health risks associated with the use of canal water for recreational purposes, unrestricted and restricted irrigation in a tropical peri-urban area. Three canals receiving municipal, agricultural, and, predominantly, industrial wastewater were investigated. Identification of pathogenic protozoans revealed the major presence of Cryptosporidium hominis and both assemblages A and B of Giardia lamblia. The highest individual infection risk estimate was found to be for Giardia in an exposure scenario involving the accidental ingestion of water when swimming during the rainy season, particularly in the most polluted section, downstream of a large wholesale market. The estimated annual risks of diarrheal disease due to infection by the protozoan parasites were up to 120-fold greater than the reported disease incidence in the vicinity of the studied district and the entire Thailand, suggesting a significant host resistance to disease beyond our models assumptions. In contrast, annual disease risk estimates for DEC were in agreement with actual cases of diarrhea in the study area.

IMS-free DNA extraction for the PCR-based quantification of Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia in surface and waste water

Abstract Extremely limited knowledge exists on the occurrence of protozoan pathogens in surface and waste water in the developing world. The article addresses one of the major reasons for this: prohibitively costly immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and commercial DNA extraction kits are required for the pathogen detection. As the presence of inhibitory substances critically impedes the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in environmental samples, several direct DNA extraction methods based on the combination of physico-chemical means were evaluated in terms of reducing the impact of PCR inhibitors present in (oo)cyst-spiked water concentrates. Modifications that included the use of guanidine thiocyanate as a lysis agent and a sonication step were found to be more efficient in extracting DNA from (oo)cysts, while treatment with Chelex 100 chelating resin at post-lysis proved to be effective in the removal of the PCR inhibitors rather than the inclusion of the PCR facilitators during thermocycling. Direct DNA extraction protocol at a substantially reduced cost is proposed for the use in the PCR-based detection/quantification of the pathogens.

Evolution of N-converting bacteria during the start-up of anaerobic digestion coupled biological nitrogen removal pilot-scale bioreactors treating high-strength animal waste slurry

Animal wastes have been successfully employed in anaerobic biogas production, viewed as a pragmatic approach to rationalize energy costs in animal farms. Effluents resulting from that process however are still high in nitrogen such that attempts were made to couple biological nitrogen removal (BNR) with anaerobic digestion (AD). The demand for organic substrate in such system is partitioned between the anaerobic metabolism in AD and the heterotrophic denitrification cascade following the autotrophic nitrification in BNR. Investigation of underlying N-converting taxa with respect to process conditions is therefore critical in optimizing N-removal in such treatment system. In this study, a pilot-scale intermittently aerated BNR bioreactor was started up either independently or in series with the AD bioreactor to treat high-strength swine waste slurry. The compositions of NH(3)-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), NO(2)(-)-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and denitrifiers (nosZ gene) were profiled by polymerase chain reaction-capillary electrophoresis/single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-CE/SSCP) technique and clone library analysis. Performance data suggested that these two process configurations significantly differ in the modes of biological N-removal. PCR-CE/SSCP based profiling of the underlying nitrifying bacteria also revealed the selection of distinct taxa between process configurations. Under the investigated process conditions, correlation of performance data and composition of underlying nitrifiers suggest that the stand-alone BNR bioreactor tended to favor N-removal via NO(3)(-) whereas the coupled bioreactors could be optimized to achieve the same via a NO(2)(-) shortcut.

Water-resistant cellulosic filter containing non-leaching antimicrobial starch for water purification and disinfection

Water-resistant cellulose foam paper was developed in this work in an attempt to improve the antimicrobial activity of cellulose foam paper for capture and deactivation of pathogenic microorganisms existed in water. Results indicated that the cellulose foam paper could significantly improve household water quality by incorporating guanidine-based polymer modified with starch or called antibacterial thermoplastic starch (ATPS) into fibre network in the presence of proper amount of fiber fines. Ring diffusion testing demonstrated that no ATPS diffused around or underneath of samples, verifying that cellulose foam filter added by ATPS were of non-leaching type. Furthermore, the viability of bacteria before and after filtering and the structure of cellulose foam paper were analyzed via fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images. The findings further proved the effectiveness of antimicrobial cellulose foam in deactivating pathogens, E.coli in particular.

Soil-Quality Indicators for Predicting Sustainable Organic Rice Production

Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in a rice field located at the Surin Rice Research Center, Thailand, were evaluated as indicators for predicting organic rice (Kao Dok Mali 105 variety) production and yield. Four treatments under different management practices were studied. They included (1) conventional farming (CF) receiving chemical fertilizer application; (2) organic plot receiving green manure (GM) addition; (3) organic plot receiving rice straw (RS) addition; and (4) control plot (CT) without any external plant nutrient source. Soil quality in the four treatments was assessed based upon selected physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Key findings are as follows: cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and essential macronutrients [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)] were low in all plots. Soil biological properties including potential N mineralization (PMN), soil basal respiration (BR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) in all treatments were also low. Principal component analysis (PCA), using 15 soil properties, showed significant differences among farm management practices. Soil chemical and biological properties best related to soil quality included P, N, and SOM (for chemical properties) and MBC, MBN, and BR (for biological properties). Based on significant relationships between yield (r > 0.75) and the soil properties (r > 0.55), selected soil biological (MBC, MBN, and BR) and chemical (TOP [total organic phosphorus], TK [total potassium], TN [total nitrogen], SOC [soil organic carbon], and SOM) properties were determined to be suitable soil-quality indicators, respectively. A soil-quality indicator for predicting rice yield was computed using multiple regression analyses. The regression model (Y = −1.685 + 0.333 (MBN) + 0.640 (TK) − 0.282 (SOC), r2 adjusted = 0.962) was used for predicting yield. Grain yield of rice (RMSE = 0.046 t ha−1, D index = 0.45) was obtained using this regression model.

GIS-based analysis of the fate of waste-related pathogens Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia and Escherichia coli in a tropical canal network

Urban canals play a major socio-economic role in many tropical countries and, particularly, Thailand. One of the overlooked functions that they perform is a significant attenuation of waste-related pathogens posing considerable health risk, as well as pollution attenuation in general. The study dealt with a comparison of three canals receiving: (i) municipal, (ii) mainly industrial and (iii) mainly agricultural wastewater, listed in order of progressively decreasing organic loading. The occurrence and fate of waterborne Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia and Escherichia coli were monitored in the canals by both real-time PCR and conventionally for 12 months. The pathogens are etiological agents of an estimated 38% and 47% of diarrhea cases worldwide and in Thailand, respectively. The geographic information system (GIS) was used to evaluate and map point and, particularly, non-point pollution sources which allowed differentiating the canal sections in terms of predominant pathogen sources. The flowthrough canals, which can be viewed as waste stabilization ponds, were found to be efficiently removing the pathogens at the following generalized specific rates: 0.3 (C. parvum), 1.2 (G. lamblia), 1.8 (E. coli) log10/km.d in the dry season. The rates decreased in the rainy season for E. coli and G. lamblia, but increased for C. parvum which indicated different removal mechanisms. Data suggest that E. coli and G. lamblia were mainly removed through sedimentation and sunlight (UV) irradiation, while the likely mechanism for C. parvum was predation. Overall, the specific pathogen removal rates positively correlated with the canal organic loading rates in the rainy season. As an important result, an estimate of the municipal pollution mitigation by over 2280 km canals in the Greater Bangkok suggests that concomitant to the pathogens at least 36-95 tons of BOD5 is being removed daily, thereby saving the receiving Chao Phraya River and Bight of Bangkok, by far exceeding current, from major eutrophication problems.

Water-resistant cellulosic filter for aerosol entrapment and water purification, Part I: production of water-resistant cellulosic filter

ABSTRACT Synthetic filters are neither biodegradable nor produced from renewable sources. Thus, their disposal has serious environmental impacts. There is a growing desire to produce filters from cellulosic fibers that are renewable, biodegradable, cheap and most importantly recyclable if the contamination is removed. Foam-laid process in papermaking is a promising process for the production of specialty papers. Filters produced using this process are capable of providing products with high specific surface area and tortuous structure favorable for entrapping particulate matters, while providing excellent permeability for incoming gas or liquid. Although the end product fulfills completely the requirement of a filter in a dry environment, it fails completely if it is exposed to a moist environment. This work reports on converting the hydrophilic cellulosic filter into a hydrophobic product without disturbing its original structure.

Piggery wastewater treatment in a tropical climate: biological and chemical treatment options.

A novel biological treatment system was developed for the treatment of piggery wastewater under tropical conditions. It consisted of three consecutive sponge-based floating biofilters. The Upflow Anaerobic/Anoxic/Aerobic Floating Filter (UA3FF) system was shown to be effective with carbonaceous and, particularly, nitrogenous matter. The rationale for the processes occurring in anoxic-aerobic reactors was based on the concept of nitritation-denitritation rather than nitrification-denitrification. The N-related microbial communities manipulated by changing DO concentration and hydraulic retention time were able to effect a considerable increase in the total and specific N-removal (70% and 0.6 kg N m−3 filter media per day, respectively) as compared to data reported elsewhere. Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Polymerase Chain Reaction amplification of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) gene were used to study interrelationships between N-related microbial groups in the system. Microbiological data was interpreted in terms of operational behavior and performance of the reactors. The N-removal efficiency of the biological UA3FF system was compared with a combined biological/physicochemical system based on (a) biological anaerobic pretreatment followed by (b) a chemical precipitation (CP) and (c) an air stripping. Both systems were scrutinized as to operational advantages and costs. The treatment options could produce effluent of a high quality (202 mg COD l−1, 126 total-N l−1 and 89 mg COD l−1 48 total-N l−1 in the biological and combined biological/physicochemical treatment options, respectively) amenable for the subsequent treatment at the municipal facilities. However, the UA3 FF biological treatment system was superior to the combined system by a factor of 20 as far as costs are concerned.

Molecular Techniques in Ecohealth Research Toolkit: Facilitating Estimation of Aggregate Gastroenteritis Burden in an Irrigated Periurban Landscape

Assessment of microbial hazards associated with certain environmental matrices, livelihood strategies, and food handling practices are constrained by time-consuming conventional microbiological techniques that lead to health risk assessments of narrow geographic or time scope, often targeting very few pathogens. Health risk assessment based on one or few indicator organisms underestimates true disease burden due a number of coexisting causative pathogens. Here, we employed molecular techniques in a survey of Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Vibrio cholera, and Rotavirus A densities in canal water with respect to seasonality and spatial distribution of point–nonpoint pollution sources. Three irrigational canals stretching across nearly a 150-km2 periurban landscape, traditionally used for agricultural irrigation but function as vital part of municipal wastewater stabilization in recent years, were investigated. Compiled stochastic data (pathogen concentration, susceptible populations) and literature-obtained deterministic data (pathogen dose–response model parameter values) were used in estimating waterborne gastroenteritis burden. Exposure scenarios include swimming or fishing, consuming canal water-irrigated vegetables, and ingesting or inhaling water aerosols while working in canal water-irrigated fields. Estimated annual gastroenteritis burden due individual pathogens among the sampling points was −10.6log10 to −2.2log10 DALYs. Aggregated annual gastroenteritis burden due all the target pathogens per sampling point was −3.1log10 to −1.9log10 DALYs, far exceeding WHO acceptable limit of −6.0log10 DALYs. The present approach will facilitate the comprehensive collection of surface water microbiological baseline data and setting of benchmarks for interventions aimed at reducing microbial hazards in similar landscapes worldwide.