Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology

Integration of natural microorganisms at drinking water sand filters with groundwater composition

Joint Event on 4^th World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology & 2^nd International Conference on Food Microbiology

November 29-December 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain

Sanin Musovic and L Friis-Holm

Life Science Division, Danish Technological Institute, Denmark

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Microb Biochem Technol

Abstract:

Biological rapid sand filters (RSF) are commonly used for drinking water production at waterworks in Denmark, Europe and worldwide. RSF is a place where natural groundwater pollutants (e.g. ammonium) are removed. The native microorganisms in RSFs have a significant role in the removal of pollutants, where a sudden change in e.g. ammonium removal suggests a misbalance in a microbial community. The aim of current work was to get a deeper insight in the physiological needs of main microbial groups at RSF to micronutrients (trace elements). Waterworks frequently receive groundwater with different chemical properties (incl. micronutrients) from distant water-wells, which allows the creation of well-defined inlet-water blend. qPCR based approach revealed that sand filters were microbial rich environments, harboring ca. 3 billion bacteria per gram sand. The ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) stayed for 1-3% of the bacterial population. AOB was up to 50-times more abundant in pre-filter units than in respective after-filter units. The abundance of ammonium oxidizing archaea was trivially low, suggesting that AOB stayed for full ammonium removal in RSF. Both the laboratory column-experiments and full-scale trials at waterworks suggested that certain sand filters at a waterworks naturally possessed an extra NH4- removal capacity. A fine blending of inlet water from chosen water-wells, focusing on copper and nickel at low (0.1 �?? 1.0 ug/L) concentrations, shown a high (>50%) and persistent stimulating effect on NH4 removal by ammonium oxidizing bacteria. A sudden stimulating-effect of nickel and copper appeared to be the product of increased catabolic abilities of the existing AOB cells.

Biography :

Sanin Musovic is a Molecular Microbiologist, completed his PhD in 2010 and Postdoctoral studies at Danish Technical University. He is currently Specialist in Microbiology and Bioengineering at Danish Technological Institute, where he leads Drinking Water Laboratory. He serves as a reviewer for five international journals, external/invited expert in EU commissions LIF Team, has over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, etc.