Evaluating The Microbial Function and Community Dynamics of BIOCORD Technology in a Full Scale waste water treatment Plant in Dundalk County

The Canadian government has increased its focus on regulating wastewater to the environment. The advent of new regulations has resulted in many municipalities requiring substantial upgrades to minimize release of nutrients promoting eutrophic water bodies. Traditional wastewater treatment technologies are in some cases cost prohibitive. Bishop Water Technologies (BWT) provides an ecofriendly and cost-effective technology for treating Canadian wastewater (municipal and industrial) while removing nutrients to rivers and lakes. BWT technology is based on the BioCord (artificial support material for microbes to live). To improve this treatment technology BWT will investigate its application in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant in Dundalk Ontario. A detailed genetic study of the biofilms and their performance under seasonal transition (e.g. Winter-Spring-Summer) will be performed. Researchers will identify the conditions to support the microbial species for optimization. Outcomes of this research will provide potential treatment solutions for sustainable management for protection fresh water in Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Christopher Weisener

Student:

Adam Skoyles

Partner:

Bishop Water Technologies Inc

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

University of Windsor