UNS: Temporal Monitoring of Waterborne Contamination: An Engineered Substrate with Selective Cryptosporidium Adsorption Properties

UNS：水性污染的时间监测：具有选择性隐孢子虫吸附特性的工程基质

• 批准号: 1511784
• 负责人: Kristen Jellison
• 金额: $ 33万
• 依托单位: Lehigh University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-07-01 至 2021-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1511784&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: UNS; Temporal; Monitoring; Waterborne; Contamination

1511784JellisonCryptosporidium is a waterborne parasite responsible for a gastrointestinal disease that can be fatal for the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Cryptosporidiosis has no medical cure, and since oocysts may not be completely removed/inactivated in municipal water treatment plants, monitoring Cryptosporidium contamination in source waters is necessary to identify public health risks and determine where limited budgets should most effectively be spent to protect consumers from waterborne exposure to pathogenic oocysts. Current sample methodology for Cryptosporidium monitoring in water supplies (EPA Method 1623.1) relies on filtering and processing 10 L of water, providing a "snapshot" of river conditions at the time of filtration. The primary goal of the team is to develop a cheaper and more reliable method for detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts in public water supplies.Previous work in the PIs laboratory has shown that Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts can robustly attach to biofilms; however, biofilm sampling is limited by the inherent variability in biofilm growth. Taking inspiration from this biofilm sorptive nature, the current team will focus on developing a manufactured substrate with fixed sorptive capacity for Cryptosporidium oocysts. These substrates will be engineered with surface features complementary to the oocyst that allow either non-specific adhesion through surface chemistry that would allow for hydrogen bonding or specific adhesion by imprinting a molecular fingerprint of the oocyst surface onto the substrate. These substrates will be analyzed initially in lab-scale bioreactors, which will provide crucial binding parameters. The substrates will then be deployed in natural waterways to determine the robustness of the substrates, with the goal of eventually providing a more temporal look at the health of the waterway. This research program is highly interdisciplinary, providing an excellent opportunity for student training through new courses and hands-on research opportunities. The PI and co-PI have a history of mentoring students from underrepresented groups in STEM, and will continue to recruit from these groups for inclusion in this project. In addition, several educational programs will be developed in collaboration with Broughal Middle School, a nearby Title 1 school. These educational programs will include brochures, projects, and field education focused on water safety and conservation.

[1511784]隐孢子虫是一种水媒寄生虫，可导致一种胃肠道疾病，对老年人和免疫功能低下的人来说可能是致命的。隐孢子虫病无法医学治愈，而且由于卵囊在城市水处理厂可能无法完全去除/灭活，因此有必要监测源水中的隐孢子虫污染，以确定公共卫生风险，并确定应最有效地将有限的预算用于何处，以保护消费者免受水生致病性卵囊的影响。目前用于监测供水中隐孢子虫的样本方法（EPA方法1623.1）依赖于过滤和处理10升的水，提供过滤时河流状况的“快照”。该团队的主要目标是开发一种更便宜、更可靠的方法来检测公共供水中的隐孢子虫卵囊。PIs实验室先前的工作表明，隐孢子虫卵囊可以牢固地附着在生物膜上；然而，生物膜取样受到生物膜生长的内在可变性的限制。从这种生物膜的吸附特性中获得灵感，目前的团队将专注于开发一种具有固定吸附能力的隐孢子虫卵囊的制造基质。这些底物将被设计成具有与卵囊互补的表面特征，通过表面化学允许非特异性粘附，从而允许氢键或通过将卵囊表面的分子指纹印在底物上来实现特异性粘附。这些底物将首先在实验室规模的生物反应器中进行分析，这将提供关键的结合参数。然后将基材部署在自然水道中，以确定基材的稳健性，最终目标是对水道的健康状况进行更短暂的观察。这个研究项目是高度跨学科的，通过新的课程和实践研究的机会，为学生提供了一个很好的培训机会。PI和联合PI有指导STEM中代表性不足群体的学生的历史，并将继续从这些群体中招募学生加入该项目。此外，还将与附近的一级学校布劳加尔中学（Broughal Middle School）合作开发几个教育项目。这些教育计划将包括小册子、项目和以水安全和保护为重点的实地教育。