Disinfection of wastewater effluent in low resource and humanitarian contexts

Wastewater is one of the primary point-source contaminants polluting freshwater sources, including shallow groundwater sources. Over 80% of wastewater worldwide is neither collected nor treated and more than 70% of sewered wastewater from human activities is discharged without any form of pollution control, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. This project, in collaboration with Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) will address a critical public health issue by evaluating potential onsite wastewater disinfection solutions integrating UV light-emitting diode (LED) technology for disinfecting wastewater. Experimental trials using UV LED reactors that are manufactured in Canada, will be conducted at the University of British Columbia to evaluate disinfection performance and validate the predictions of a computational tool. The study will analyze UV disinfection dose-response curves, inactivation rates, and water quality parameters to assess the efficacy of UV LED technology for inactivating E. coli and other contaminants. Partner organization, CAWST, with expertise in water, sanitation and hygiene options using simple, affordable technologies, will work with the intern on the experimental design, engineering considerations, testing protocols, results interpretation and data analysis. Together, we aim to assess whether this novel disinfection solution is appropriate for sanitation in a disaster relief and humanitarian contexts.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sara Beck

Student:

Partner:

Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: