Management and use of beneficial bacterial biofilms to control aquatic pathogens, for reliable chemical-free sanitisation of swimming pools

我们寻求开发创新的生物膜技术，以管理游泳池中的水生病原体。我们的基于生物膜的生物过滤器是一种新颖的游泳池水过滤解决方案。通过使用有益的生物膜，它否定了化学消毒，能够完全控制藻类和藻类膜，最近的初步数据显示了管理关键水生病原体的潜力。游泳池过滤市场（价值32亿美元）目前缺乏无化学品的替代品，尽管客户要求更健康，更容易和更便宜的游泳池水处理解决方案。因此，存在独特的市场机会。生物过滤优于现有（化学）过滤器的优点是：1。更高的可靠性潜力（较少依赖化学测试/剂量），2.较低的维护（没有监测水化学），3。节省成本：零化学品使用，更低的循环能量（120 w vs 1200 w循环泵）4.增强的用户体验（淡水与含化学物质的水）。该项目将有助于通过创新和强大的科学研究和开发，充分实现这种基于生物膜的技术的大众市场潜力。该项目将通过了解和优化生物膜性能来评估和开发有益生物膜控制病原体的潜力。为此，我们将利用新的科学技术，例如生物发光细菌报告基因（能够对已知病原体进行时空监测），在目前缺乏研究的这一领域获得新的科学见解和知识。虽然绝大多数水生生物膜的研究往往集中在生物膜（这被视为一种健康威胁）的彻底消除，但我们已经证明，游泳池中基于生物膜的生物过滤器可以成功地控制藻类维持营养素（P和N）。本研究旨在回答以下研究问题：1）在生物过滤器（CWR生物过滤系统）上生长的有益生物膜在多大程度上降低了淡水中已知的水媒病原体的水平？2)CWR生物过滤系统是否能防止病原体重新进入水中？3)如何优化CWR生物过滤系统内的有益生物膜，以最大限度地去除病原体？这个为期12个月的可行性项目汇集了来自西英格兰大学的科学家和布里斯托的企业家，清水复兴有限公司（CWR）谁专门从事开发和生产的化学自由游泳池。实验室阶段将用于为安装在全尺寸游泳池上的全尺寸生物过滤器的真实世界测试提供信息，从而从应用科学研究和发现中提供直接，有形和即时的技术效益。该项目的成功完成将有助于通过创新和强大的科学研究和开发，充分实现这种生物膜技术的大众市场潜力。它将帮助英国走在无化学品水处理的最前沿，最终提高生活质量，减少对环境的影响，同时为英国创造财富创造机会，从而创造和确保就业机会。拟议的科学研究有许多跨部门的应用，因为根本目的是了解和鼓励有益的生物膜，可以消毒水;作为使用有害化学物质的健康替代品。虽然实际应用将侧重于游泳池的生物过滤器，但所获得的科学知识也将高度适用于所有水生病原体，特别是废水处理、污染水补救和集约化养鱼。

We seek to develop innovative biofilm technology, in order to manage waterborne pathogens in swimming pools. Our biofilm based biofilter is a new and novel solution to pool water filtration. By using beneficial biofilms it negates chemical disinfection, enables complete control of algae and algal films, and recent preliminary data has shown the potential for management of key aquatic pathogens. The swimming pool filtration market (worth 3.2bn) currently lacks chemical-free alternatives despite customers' demands of healthier, easier and cheaper solutions to pool water treatment. Therefore a unique market oportunity exists. The benefits of biofiltration over the incumbent (chemical) filters are: 1. Higher reliability potential (less reliance on chemical testing /dosing ), 2. Lower maintenance (no monitoring of water chemistry), 3. Cost savings: Zero chemical usage, lower circulation energy (120w vs 1200w circulation pumps) 4. Enhanced user experiences (fresh vs chemical laden water). This project would help to fully realise the mass market potential for this biofilm based technology, through innovative and robust scientific research and development. This project will assess and develop the potential for beneficial biofilms to control pathogens through understanding and optimising biofilm performance. To this end, we will utilise novel scientific techniques, e.g. bioluminescent bacterial reporters (enabling temporal and spatial monitoring of known pathogens), to gain new scientific insights and knowledge in this area where research is currently lacking. Whilst the vast majority of aquatic biofilm research tends to focus on the widesperad elimination of biofilms (which are seen as a health threat), we have already proved that biofilm based biofilters in swimming pools can successfully control algae-sustaining nutrients (P and N). This study seeks to answer the following research questions:1) To what extent do beneficial biofilms grown on biofilters (CWR biofiltration system) reduce the levels of known waterborne pathogens in freshwater? 2) Does the CWR biofiltration system prevent the re-introduction of pathogens in water? 3) How can the beneficial biofilm within the CWR biofiltration system be optimised to maximise pathogen removal? This 12 month feasibility project brings together scientists from the University of the West of England and Bristol based business entrepreneurs, Clear Water Revival Ltd. (CWR) who specialise in the development and production of chemical free swimming pools. A laboratory phase will be used to inform real-world testing on full scale biofilters fitted to full size swimming pools thereby providing direct, tangible and immediate technology benefit/s from applied scientific research and discovery. The successful completion of this project would help to fully realise the mass market potential for this biofilm based technology, through innovative and robust scientific research and development. It will help place the UK at the forefront of chemical free water treatment, ultimately improving quality of life, reducing environmental impact whilst generating wealth creation opportunities for the UK leading to the creation and securing of jobs.The proposed scientific research has many cross sector applications, since the fundamental aim is to understand and encourage beneficial biofilms which can sanitise water; as a healthy alternative to using harmful chemicals. While the practical application will focus on bio-filters for pools, the scientific knowledge gained would also be highly applicable to all aquatic pathogens, and in particular, waste water treatment, contaminated water remediation and intensive fish farming.