GOALI/Collaborative: Engineering Biofilm Dynamics for Cyanotoxins in Biological Water Treatment

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1605185/1605161Seo / MouThreats to drinking water supplies as a result of increased frequency and duration of harmful algal blooms has been on the rise nationally and globally, for example the Lake Erie cyanobacteria bloom. To protect the public from emerging contaminants like cyanotoxins in drinking water sources, various advanced water treatment processes are considered and adopted by water utilities. This project is exploring a sustainable treatment approach using bacterially active filters to remove harmful algal bloom toxins and other chemicals of emerging concern as the first step in drinking water treatment. However, biological filtration systems for emerging contaminants are not well adopted as they commonly show either low or unmaintained biofilm activities for target pollutants. To enhance the performance of biological filtration systems, bioaugmentation and bio-stimulation were considered, but still regarded as uncontrollable as engineering approaches for consistent results. Accordingly, systematic studies are greatly needed to understand and control biofilm dynamics in biological filtration systems for emerging contaminants. The principal research objectives of this study are: 1) to understand the composition, activity and dynamics of biofilm community and their impact on the effectiveness of biological filtration systems in cyanotoxin removal, and, 2) to provide optimum operational parameters and monitoring tools for effective biological filtration systems operations under the pressure of source water contaminated with harmful algal bloom organisms. Research emphasis will be placed on understanding how the bacterial biofilm formation and activity, can be enhanced and maintained by engineered approaches such as bioaugmentation and bio-stimulation in order to improve performances of biological filtration systems for cyanotoxin removal. Specific objectives and hypotheses proposed are: 1) To understand the degradation dynamics (adaptation and evolution) of cyanobacteria toxin degrading bacteria for bioaugmentation or bio-stimulation applications. Hypothesis: The concentration variation of cyanotoxins and the presence of other natural organic matter and nutrients in water will affect the community and function of cyanotoxin degrading bacteria. 2) To investigate surface interactions between bioaugmented bacteria and indigenous biofilm formed on filter media (physical, chemical, and biologically mediated interactions by microbial biofilms). Hypothesis: The formation of biofilm(s) may affect not only hydrodynamics and physical properties (e.g. effective size of media) of biological filtration systems, but also the adhesion and growth of bioaugmented bacteria in biological filtration systems. 3) To determine the impact of filter operational parameters on biofilm formation, growth, and subsequent degradation of cyanotoxins in biological filtration systems. Hypothesis: Optimized operational parameters of biological filtration systems (backwashing frequency and intensity, filtration rate, and bio-stimulation) can be obtained to address various environmental factors. In addition, the proposed project will provide training and education for three graduate students as well as summer research opportunities for undergraduate and high school students. Furthermore, research findings will be introduced in PIs' outreach and service activities, for example, educational programs for under-represented K-12 students and public outreach via Lake Erie Center.