Grantee Research Project Results
1999 Progress Report: Virus Attachment, Release, and Inactivation During Groundwater Transport
EPA Grant Number: R826179Title: Virus Attachment, Release, and Inactivation During Groundwater Transport
Investigators: Ryan, Joseph N. , Harvey, Ronald W. , Elimelech, Menachem
Institution: University of Colorado at Boulder , United States Geological Survey , Yale University
Current Institution: University of Colorado at Boulder , United States Geological Survey , University of California - Los Angeles
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: January 13, 1998 through January 12, 2001 (Extended to January 12, 2002)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 13, 1999 through January 12, 2000
Project Amount: $372,392
RFA: Exploratory Research - Environmental Chemistry (1997) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water , Land and Waste Management , Air , Safer Chemicals
Objective:
The research outlined in this proposal will assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in better understanding the processes controlling virus transport in groundwater. The following hypotheses are being addressed in this research:
- Organic matter will enhance virus transport in aquifers by adsorbing to positively charged grain surfaces and occupying these favorable attachment sites.
- The reversibility of virus attachment to aquifer sediments is controlled by heterogeneity of aquifer grains and virus interactions with different mineral and organic matter surfaces.
- The transport of viruses during long-term release will be enhanced by blocking of favorable attachment sites by attached viruses.
- The inactivation of viruses in groundwater is accelerated by strong,
irreversible attachment, but not by weak, reversible attachment.
These hypotheses are being tested by research outlined in the four tasks listed below.
Progress Summary:
Task 1. Virus Attachment and Release. Flow-through column experiments to examine the effect of organic matter on virus attachment and release are being conducted for bacteriophage PRD1, various surfactants, two natural organic matter samples, and sewage-derived organic matter. Transport parameters are being evaluated with the virus transport model described in Task 4.
Task 2. Virus Inactivation on Mineral Surfaces. The effect of attachment on virus inactivation has been explored in static column experiments for bacteriophage PRD1 and MS2. Results indicate that attachment accelerates the inactivation of these viruses, as hypothesized. Graduate student Theresa Navigato has defended her M.S. thesis and will complete revisions during the next year. A manuscript describing the results is currently in preparation.
Task 3. Virus Transport in Continuous Injections. Virus transport experiments conducting in intermediate-scale aquifer tanks under physically and geochemically heterogeneous conditions were started. These experiments will be completed during the final year of the grant.
Task 4. Virus Transport Model Development. A two-dimensional virus transport model that incorporates physically and geochemically heterogeneous porous media, deposition dynamics adding appropriate terms for inactivation (both in the aqueous and attached phases) is being developed and tested for parameter sensitivity.
Future Activities:
In the following year, manuscripts will be submitted describing the virus surface inactivation results and the virus transport model. Experimental work on the effect of organic matter will be completed. Experimental work on the aquifer tank experiments will be completed.Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 14 publications | 4 publications in selected types | All 4 journal articles |
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Type | Citation | ||
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Ryan JN, Elimelech M, Ard RA, Harvey RW, Johnson PR. Bacteriophage PRD1 and silica colloid transport and recovery in an iron oxide-coated sand aquifer. Environmental Science and Technology 1999;33:63-73. |
R826179 (1998) R826179 (1999) R826179 (Final) |
not available |
Supplemental Keywords:
drinking water, groundwater, risk assessment, viruses, environmental chemistry, biology, hydrology., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Water, Waste, Hydrology, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry, Drinking Water, Groundwater remediation, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, monitoring, fate and transport, transport model, microbial risk assessment, pathogenic microbes, aquifer grain, natural disinfection, Groundwater Disinfection Rule, treatment, water quality, virus attachment, inactivation of virusesProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.