Spatial-Temporal Dynamics of Effluent Discharge in Aquatic Habitats

我的博士学位主要研究水生栖息地污水排放的时空动态。这项研究最初的重点是将豪登污水处理厂处理后的城市垃圾排放到泰恩河下游，泰恩河具有动态潮汐模式和高流量条件。使用涵盖河流流量、潮汐高度、水质和污水排放的不同数据集，我的博士学位将检查每天到季节性时间尺度以及降雨量少和多的时期的污水排放。这将确定何时污水将在泰恩河中最普遍。为了评估排放的污水的去向，我的研究将比较对空间分布的建模预测和在排放点附近测量的每周观测值。通过将水文测量与水质和污水排放数据相结合，这项研究旨在加强我们对污水动态的了解，为未来的监测和预测能力提供有价值的见解。结果还将告知污水降解可能导致的间接排放。虽然废水处理行业目前没有义务报告这类排放量，但这种情况预计在不久的将来会改变，这项研究的结果将有助于为缓解措施提供信息。在最初阶段的工作之后，这项研究将把其发现扩展到泰恩河的选定支流，这些支流拥有较小的废水处理厂。这将确定小规模和大规模排污率之间的时空动态有何不同。

My PhD focuses on the spatial and temporal dynamics of effluent discharge in aquatic habitats. The initial emphasis of the study is the release of treated municipal waste from Howden Sewage Treatment Works into the lower River Tyne, which is characterised by dynamic tidal patterns and high-flow conditions. Using diverse datasets encompassing river flow, tidal height, water quality, and effluent discharge, my PhD will examine effluent discharge across daily to seasonal timescales and during periods of low and high rainfall. This will identify when the effluent will be most prevalent in the River Tyne. To assess the fate of the discharged effluent, my research will compare modelled predictions of spatial distribution with weekly observations measured in the vicinity of the discharge point. By integrating hydrological measurements with water quality and effluent discharge data, this study aims to enhance our understanding of effluent dynamics, providing valuable insights for future monitoring and predictive capabilities. The results will also inform the potential for indirect emissions resulting from effluent degradation. Although the wastewater industry is not currently obligated to report such emissions, this is anticipated to change in the near future and the outputs of this study will help inform mitigation measures. Following the initial phase of work, this study will extend its findings to selected tributaries of the River Tyne that host smaller waste water treatment plants. This will identify how the spatial-temporal dynamics differ between small and large-scale rates of effluent discharge.