US-Singapore planning visit: Survivability of human enteric virus in surface water

1066152 Nguyen该奖项支持一次计划访问，使伊利诺伊大学香槟分校的Thanh Nguyen教授能够与新加坡国立大学环境科学与工程系的Karina Gin教授和Jiangyong Hu教授会面。他们将开始计划一个关于人类肠道病毒在新加坡河流和水库地表水中的生存能力的合作项目。通过在国立大学的初步采样和灭活实验，他们将研究阳光和水质对病毒生存能力的影响。淡水需求的增加和地下水资源的同时枯竭迫使人类寻找非传统的水源，如再生水和再生水。使用这些水源面临的一个新挑战是致病病毒的存在。在新加坡进行的研究表明，新加坡地表水中存在和传播人类肠道病毒。位于芝加哥大都市区的河流中的地表水也缺乏类似的研究，那里的废水还没有经过消毒。研究人员提出了以下假设：1)城市地表水中人类肠道病毒的浓度和生存能力因阳光照射而每日波动；2)水质参数，如溶解有机物浓度和悬浮颗粒类型和浓度，将影响病毒在地表水中的去向。初步现场采样将在白天每小时进行一次。轮状病毒和腺病毒的浓度将使用分子方法和依赖于培养的方法来确定。将进行实验室研究，以确定轮状病毒和腺病毒在阳光下的灭活率，并发展对病毒灭活的机理理解。现场和实验室数据的结合将有助于开发地表水中病毒生存能力的预测模型。美国和新加坡的研究人员之间有足够的利益重叠，这表明他们可以成功地开展拟议的活动，而且这种互动将对双方都有利。新加坡的研究人员在地表水中存在病毒和病毒消毒技术方面拥有专业知识。这位美国研究人员在致病病毒在水环境中的去向和传播方面拥有专业知识。这一合作将使美国未来更好地利用水资源，特别是在阳光充足但淡水不足的美国南部。目前正在参加无国界工程师项目的一名美国研究生和本科生将参加这次访问。该项目将为学生提供更多的学术和文化经验，以及从表面化学和分子生物学到水处理等这一跨学科研究的所有方面的经验。预计他们将在整个职业生涯中与他们的新加坡合作者保持联系。

1066152NguyenThis award supports a planning visit to enable Professor Thanh Nguyen at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to meet with Professors Karina Gin and Jiangyong Hu in the Division of Environmental Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore. They will begin planning a collaborative project on the survivability of human enteric virus in surface water in rivers and reservoirs in Singapore. Through preliminary samplings and inactivation experiments at the National University they will study the role of sun light and water quality on virus survivability. An increase in demand for fresh water and the simultaneous depletion of groundwater resources has forced mankind to look for nontraditional water sources such as recycled and reclaimed water. One emerging challenge for the use of these water sources is the presence of pathogenic viruses. Studies conducted in Singapore showed the presence and circulation of human enteric viruses in surface water in Singapore. Similar studies on surface water in rivers located in the Chicago metropolitan area, where wastewater effluent has not been disinfected, are lacking. The researchers are proposing the following hypotheses: 1) the concentration and survivability of human enteric virus in surface water in urban areas fluctuates diurnally due to sun light exposure; and 2) water quality parameters, such as concentration of dissolved organic matter and suspended particle type and concentration, will influence the fate of virus in surface water. Preliminary field samplings will be conducted every hour during the day. Concentration of rotavirus and adenovirus will be determined using both molecular methods and culture-dependent methods. Laboratory studies will be conducted to determine inactivation rates of rotavirus and adenovirus by sun light and to develop a mechanistic understanding of virus inactivation. The combination of field and laboratory data will help develop predictive models for virus survivability in surface water. There is sufficient overlap of interests between researchers in the U.S and Singapore to indicate that they can successfully pursue the activities proposed, and that the interaction will benefit both sides. The Singapore researchers have expertise in virus presence in surface water and virus disinfection technology. The U.S. researcher has expertise on the fate and transport of pathogenic viruses in aquatic environments. This collaboration will allow a better future use of water resources in the U.S., especially in the American South, where sun light is abundant but fresh water is not. A U.S. graduate student and undergraduate student, currently participating in the Engineers Without Borders program, will be taking part in this visit. This project will provide the students with additional academic and cultural experiences, as well as experience in all aspects of this interdisciplinary research, ranging from surface chemistry and molecular biology to water treatment. It is anticipated that they will maintain contact with their Singapore collaborators throughout their careers.