Managing microorganisms and their biomolecules is still one of the greatest global water quality challenges threatening public health. By improving mechanistic understanding from the molecule to the microbiome of impacts of disinfection on microbial water quality, precision treatments and monitoring tools can be optimized for more sustainable water treatment. In studies of various water systems using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, microbial communities were analyzed in water and biofilms treated by chlorine versus UV. Distinct differences were observed between microbiomes in samples treated by chlorine versus UV LEDs. In complementary studies, the impacts of precision UV wavelengths emitted by conventional low-pressure mercury lamps, KrCl excimer lamps, and UV LEDs on microorganisms and viruses including SARS-CoV-2 were quantified using existing and novel antibody-based assays at the nucleic acid and protein levels. Biomolecular damage was corroborated with both the disinfection of target pathogens and fecal indicators measured by traditional culture-based assays, and the impacts on natural microbial communities measured by sequence-based tools. Finally, the impact of different UV wavelengths on antibiotic resistant bacteria and their genes, and on cyanotoxins was investigated and demonstrated enhanced biomolecular damage by lower UV wavelengths. Together, these studies provide valuable quantitative and qualitative mechanistic information to support precision application of multi-wavelength UV for water treatment to manage microbes and their biomolecules.

Impacts of UV wavelengths during water treatment on microbes and their molecules

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.