Abstract
It is estimated that approximately 1.1 billion people globally drink unsafe water. We previously reported both a novel copper-alginate bead, which quickly reduces pathogen loading in waste streams and the incorporation of these beads into a novel swirl flow bioreactor (SFB), of low capital and running costs and of simple construction from commercially available plumbing pipes and fittings. The purpose of the present study was to trial this system for pathogen reduction in waste streams from an operating Dewats system in Hinjewadi, Pune, India and in both simulated and real waste streams in Seattle, Washington, USA. The trials in India, showed a complete inactivation of coliforms in the discharged effluent (Mean Log removal Value (MLRV) = 3.51), accompanied by a total inactivation of E. coli with a MLRV of 1.95. The secondary clarifier effluent also showed a 4.38 MLRV in viable coliforms during treatment. However, the system was slightly less effective in reducing E. coli viability, with a MLRV of 1.80. The trials in Seattle also demonstrated the efficacy of the system in the reduction of viable bacteria, with a LRV of 5.67 observed of viable Raoultella terrigena cells (100%).
DOI
10.1038/srep09461
Publication Date
2015-05-21
Publication Title
Scientific Reports
Volume
5
Issue
1
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
ISSN
2045-2322
Embargo Period
2024-11-25
Recommended Citation
Atkinson, S., Thomas, S., Goddard, P., Bransgrove, R., & et al. (2015) 'Swirl Flow Bioreactor coupled with Cu-alginate beads: A system for the eradication of Coliform and Escherichia coli from biological effluents', Scientific Reports, 5(1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep09461
