Next generation DNA techniques for next generation water treatment

Theme
Wastewater Treatment, Innovation / new techniques, Measuring & Monitoring

Summary
This project aims to unlock valuable information contained within the activated sludge (AS) of wastewater treatment plants. With third generation DNA sequencing technology (NGS) the microbial population within activated sludge will become visible and measurable. The sludge will be analysed monthly during one year.
This will result in the first DNA-database of a wastewater treatment plant of the Netherlands.
The resulting data will be used to gain focus on specific themes, such as:
Gaining insight in the general microbial composition of AS and how this varies over time. Various groups or themes will be distinguished, such as:
- Antibiotic resistance genes
- (potential) pathogens
- Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR)
- Nitrification
- …
By combining AS data with traditional physical and chemical data that is collected for the treatment plant, correlations will be identified and hypotheses tested.
This new insight on the AS offers opportunities to develop new tools and to generate data with which treatment plants can be monitored and optimised.

Start of Research
September 2017

End of Research
August 2018

Researcher
- Aleida de Vos van Steenwijk (Orvion)
- Frithjof Godschalk (Orvion)

Organisation(s)

- Orvion BV
- Delfluent Services BV
- Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland
- Evides Industriewater BV

Documents

de-Vos-2017-DNA-monitoring-H2O.pdf

Links

http://www.orvion.nl

Contact

Aleida de Vos van Steenwijk
06-17394569
[email protected]