Benzene Diffusion and Partitioning in Contaminated Drinking Water Pipes under Stagnant Conditions.

Benzene contamination in drinking water systems affected by wildfires is a problem of emerging concern. Polyethylene pipes used in service lines and premise plumbing are vulnerable to permeation by benzene and can potentially cause challenges in sampling and remediation of contaminated systems. However, the kinetics and equilibria of the uptake of benzene by and release of benzene from pipes of differing polyethylene types and manufacturers are not well studied, leading to additional uncertainty when interpreting sampling data and selecting remediation options.

Persistence of surrogates for high consequence viral and bacterial pathogens in a pilot-scale activated sludge treatment system.

The persistence of high consequence public health pathogens in a wastewater treatment system can significantly impact worker safety, as well as the public and downstream water bodies, particularly if the system is forced to shut down the treatment processes. This study utilizes organism viability to compare the persistence of three pathogen surrogates in wastewater using a pilot-scale activated sludge treatment (AST) system, operated to mimic treatment processes of large-scale plants. Bacillus globigii spores, surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, persisted in the AST system for at least a 50-day observation period leading to a possible steady condition far beyond the solid retention time for sludge particles.

Linking Water Quality to Drinking Water Treatment Costs Using Time Series Analysis: Examining the Effect of a Treatment Plant Upgrade in Ohio.

We estimate a cost function for a water treatment plant in Ohio to assess the avoided-treatment costs resulting from improved source water quality. Regulations and source water concerns motivated the treatment plant to upgrade its treatment process by adding a granular activated carbon building in 2012. The cost function uses daily observations from 2013 to 2016; this allows us to compare the results to a cost function estimated for 2007-2011 for the same plant.

Effectiveness of point-of-use/point-of-entry systems to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from drinking water.

The contamination of groundwater sources with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the United States is a widespread problem for the drinking water industry. Well water supplies in the municipalities of Fountain, Security, and Widefield, Colorado, contain perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate levels greater than the U.S.

Inactivation of Spores in Wash Waters Using Dilute Chlorine Bleach Solutions at Different Temperatures and pH Levels.

  Inactivation of Bacillus globigii spores in wash water was studied to simulate chlorine inactivation of Bacillus anthracis spores in water generated during biological cleanups. Eight waters were studied, with six containing detergent. Chlorine levels were approximately 3000 mg/L.

Transformation of silver nanoparticles in fresh, aged, and incinerated biosolids.

The purpose of this research was to assess the chemical transformation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in aged, fresh, and incinerated biosolids in order to provide information for AgNP life cycle analyses. Silver nanoparticles were introduced to the influent of a pilot-scale wastewater (WW) treatment system consisting of a primary clarifier (PC), aeration basin, and secondary clarifier. The partitioning of the AgNPs between the aqueous and solid phases in the system was monitored.

Batch and continuous removal of arsenic using hyacinth roots.

Arsenic is considered a primary pollutant in drinking water because of its high toxicity. The unique property of water hyacinth roots (Eichhornia crassipes) to remove heavy metals is of great signiicance for the development of a cost-effective phytoremediation technology. An experimental test program was conducted at the United States Environmental Protection (USEPA) Test and Evaluation (T&E) Facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, to investigate the potential of water hyacinth roots to remove arsenic from spiked drinking water samples.