In the developing world, there are large populations suffering from infectious diseases, many of whom are located in remote regions. With the rapid growth in microfluidic systems in recent years, complex functions of conventional diagnostic equipment have been miniaturized and integrated into small devices at the size of a credit card (so-called portable Point-of-care (POC) devices). In this thesis a novel approach to overcoming the challenge of in-field biological sample processing and preparation to produce high quality fluids that can be readily used for downstream testings is described and proof of concept experiments presented. This approach uses hydrodynamic effects and combines nanoporous membrane with microfluidic systems and to filter the cellular component of blood. Experiments presented here demonstrate successful cells filtration from whole blood. Employing hydrodynamic effects is also shown to be an effective and potentially useful technique to isolate cells and plasma within appropriate micro-architectures.

Application of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles was evaluated as a possible measure to mitigate the levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), ammonia (NH3) and odour in swine facilities. Two deployment techniques were investigated: direct mixing of zinc oxide nanoparticles into the slurry, and filtration with nanoparticles as filtering media for the manure gases. The overall goal of this work was to determine the impact of the treatments on hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and odour emissions, pig performance and manure characteristics as well as to assess the feasibility of the application of this technology in a typical swine barn. Semi-pilot scale tests were conducted to evaluate operational factors in open system conditions, the results of which showed that the mixing method required a particle-to-slurry ratio of 3 grams of zinc oxide per litre of slurry to control hydrogen sulphide and ammonia levels. Using the air filtration technique, a fluidized bed filter design with a 0.28 g/cm2 loading rate and rated at 0.5 m/s face velocity was found to be the most effective combination for controlling gas levels. Room-scale experiments were conducted in specially designed chambers to assess the effectiveness of the treatments under conditions that represent commercial swine production. The addition of zinc oxide nanoparticles into the manure achieved more than 95% reduction in hydrogen sulphide levels while no significant effects on ammonia concentrations were observed. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were persistent in maintaining low hydrogen sulphide levels up to 15 days after treatment application. On the other hand, the ventilation air recirculation system with a zinc oxide filter achieved significant reduction in both hydrogen sulphide and ammonia concentrations at the animal- and human-occupied zones. Neither treatment had any significant impact on pig performance and manure nutrient characteristics. Estimates of the cost of application of the treatments in a 100-head grow-finish room showed that employing the air filtration method amounted to around 3.8% of the average total cost of production, which was economically more feasible than the mixing method; however, various options can be pursued to further reduce the cost of application of both treatments.

Application of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles was evaluated as a possible measure to mitigate the levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), ammonia (NH3) and odour in swine facilities. Two deployment techniques were investigated: direct mixing of zinc oxide nanoparticles into the slurry, and filtration with nanoparticles as filtering media for the manure gases. The overall goal of this work was to determine the impact of the treatments on hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and odour emissions, pig performance and manure characteristics as well as to assess the feasibility of the application of this technology in a typical swine barn. Semi-pilot scale tests were conducted to evaluate operational factors in open system conditions, the results of which showed that the mixing method required a particle-to-slurry ratio of 3 grams of zinc oxide per litre of slurry to control hydrogen sulphide and ammonia levels. Using the air filtration technique, a fluidized bed filter design with a 0.28 g/cm2 loading rate and rated at 0.5 m/s face velocity was found to be the most effective combination for controlling gas levels. Room-scale experiments were conducted in specially designed chambers to assess the effectiveness of the treatments under conditions that represent commercial swine production. The addition of zinc oxide nanoparticles into the manure achieved more than 95% reduction in hydrogen sulphide levels while no significant effects on ammonia concentrations were observed. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were persistent in maintaining low hydrogen sulphide levels up to 15 days after treatment application. On the other hand, the ventilation air recirculation system with a zinc oxide filter achieved significant reduction in both hydrogen sulphide and ammonia concentrations at the animal- and human-occupied zones. Neither treatment had any significant impact on pig performance and manure nutrient characteristics. Estimates of the cost of application of the treatments in a 100-head grow-finish room showed that employing the air filtration method amounted to around 3.8% of the average total cost of production, which was economically more feasible than the mixing method; however, various options can be pursued to further reduce the cost of application of both treatments.

The main goal of a drinking water treatment plant is to provide safe drinking water for its consumers. Historically, this was accomplished through monitoring the influent and effluent water quality to ensure that the water quality met a set of guidelines and regulations. However, as the limitations of relying on compliance monitoring become more evident, water utilities and drinking water treatment plants are beginning to utilize risk management frameworks to help provide safe drinking water and to mitigate potential risks. Applying a risk management framework requires an evaluation of potential risks. This systematic evaluation can be performed through using risk analysis methods. <br /><br /> The overall goal of this research is to analyze and evaluate risk analysis methodologies that are used in a variety of engineering fields, select two risk analysis methods, and use them to evaluate the probability of producing non-compliant drinking water from a rapid gravity filtration unit with respect to turbidity. <br /><br /> The risk analysis methodologies that were used in this research were the consequence frequency assessment and computer modelling combined with probabilistic risk analysis. Both of the risk analysis methodologies were able to determine the probability of producing non-compliant water from a rapid gravity filtration unit with respect to turbidity. However, these methodologies were found to provide different numerical results with respect to each other. The consequence frequency assessment methodology was found to be easier to implement; however, the consequence frequency assessment was only able to be performed on one parameter at a time. Computer modelling and probabilistic risk analysis enabled the inclusion of multiple parameters which provided a more comprehensive understanding of the filtration unit. <br /><br /> The primary conclusion from this research is that the risk analysis methods, as they are described in this thesis, are not sufficient to use directly on a rapid gravity filtration unit without further modification. Furthermore, although the risk analysis methods provided some guidance, these methods should only be used as a part of a complete risk management process.

The main goal of a drinking water treatment plant is to provide safe drinking water for its consumers. Historically, this was accomplished through monitoring the influent and effluent water quality to ensure that the water quality met a set of guidelines and regulations. However, as the limitations of relying on compliance monitoring become more evident, water utilities and drinking water treatment plants are beginning to utilize risk management frameworks to help provide safe drinking water and to mitigate potential risks. Applying a risk management framework requires an evaluation of potential risks. This systematic evaluation can be performed through using risk analysis methods. <br /><br /> The overall goal of this research is to analyze and evaluate risk analysis methodologies that are used in a variety of engineering fields, select two risk analysis methods, and use them to evaluate the probability of producing non-compliant drinking water from a rapid gravity filtration unit with respect to turbidity. <br /><br /> The risk analysis methodologies that were used in this research were the consequence frequency assessment and computer modelling combined with probabilistic risk analysis. Both of the risk analysis methodologies were able to determine the probability of producing non-compliant water from a rapid gravity filtration unit with respect to turbidity. However, these methodologies were found to provide different numerical results with respect to each other. The consequence frequency assessment methodology was found to be easier to implement; however, the consequence frequency assessment was only able to be performed on one parameter at a time. Computer modelling and probabilistic risk analysis enabled the inclusion of multiple parameters which provided a more comprehensive understanding of the filtration unit. <br /><br /> The primary conclusion from this research is that the risk analysis methods, as they are described in this thesis, are not sufficient to use directly on a rapid gravity filtration unit without further modification. Furthermore, although the risk analysis methods provided some guidance, these methods should only be used as a part of a complete risk management process.

A series of pilot and full-scale experiments were carried out at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant in Kitchener, Ontario to examine the impact of backwash technique, filter media characteristics, and combinations thereof on single stage drinking water biological filter performance. The media characteristics investigated were effective size, uniformity coefficient, and media type (GAC and anthracite). Backwash techniques investigated were the collapsed pulse backwash, the extended terminal subfluidization wash (ETSW), and the presence of chlorine in the wash water. Single stage biological filters must serve the dual purpose of biologically mediated removal of biodegradable organic matter (BOM), as well as meeting traditional filter performance criteria such as turbidity removal with minimal head loss accumulation. Accordingly, dissolved organic carbon removal, biodegradable dissolved organic carbon removal, biological respiration potential, turbidity removal, filter ripening time, and head loss accumulation were all quantified as measures of biological filtration performance. The results of this study have several implications for optimized design and operation of biological filters during drinking water treatment. An increase in effective size of media grains from 1.0 mm to 1.3 mm was shown to significantly extend filter run time by minimizing head loss accumulation without compromising turbidity or BOM removal. Uniformity coefficient however, showed no significant effect on biological filter performance; indicating that the performance benefits associated with highly uniform media may not be commensurate with cost. GAC was found to be significantly more resilient to backwashing in collapsed pulse and chlorinated modes, which impaired BOM removal in anthracite filters. This resilience imparts a high degree of operational flexibility to backwashing GAC filters. The significant decrease in BOM removal by anthracite filters can be minimized; however, by using an optimized backwashing technique. Collapsed pulse backwashing was found to have a significant effect on biological filter performance. When chlorinated collapsed pulse was used, filter cycles were significantly shortened by approximately 30 – 50% due to a sudden surge in effluent turbidity. This effect is thought to be the result of biofilm, damaged during the course of backwashing sloughing from the media. Extended terminal subfluidization wash was found to significantly reduce, and often eliminate filter ripening entirely. Additionally, the extended contact time with chlorine associated with chlorinated ETSW did not appear to have a significant effect on filter BOM removal. By eliminating filter ripening without compromising biological performance, ETSW shows promise for significant water and production cost savings by minimizing the filter-to-waste period during filter ripening. The presence of chlorine however, was associated with decreased DOC, 24 hours in to the filter cycle. This factor, combined with the negative interaction between chlorine and collapsed pulse suggests chlorinated wash water should be avoided in biological filtration systems like the ones investigated.

No description available.

No description available.

The tap-water treated by water treatment plants in southern Taiwan is coming from surface water of the rivers, subsurface stream and underground water of deep wells. The original raw water possesses were high level of hardness and ammonia- nitrogen solute due to affection by terrain, geology and human activities within water origin area. And considering the water quality from Kao-ping river origin is hard to control during in rain fall and dry season, we were to construction efficiency procedure of water treatment to obtain a high quality of drink water. There were high hardness and TDS from strata limestone of groundwater to increase treatment difficulty in southern Taiwan water treatment plant. Therefore, recommended that the influent water standards were limited hardness and silicate (SiO2) less than 300 mg/L and 15 mg/L, respectively. On the other hand, the metal substances Ca, Mg, Si and Al in influent water were 74.3 mg/L, 18.7 mg/L, 12.9 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively. Results show high inorganic substances that could increase the treatment loading. This project of the study, were make sure the problem of membrane clogging and fouling happened to the finest water treatment plants who use LPRO membrane system to remove the impurity in the influent water. Moreover, by accumulation of processes operation experience on site were according to water quality statistics data and membrane autopsy of single LPRO membrane by processes. In the same time, we prepared three single tube of RO membrane to experiment on site and collected data from before and after antifouling additive, that could find the membrane fouling and clogging results of the influent raw water. Obviously, the influent raw water quality into LPRO membrane is closely connected to the efficiency of treatment plant. The results show when the temperature decreased of influent raw water that could decrease the effluent volume from LPRO, because the water temperature affected by increase viscosity of raw water. The first part clogging substances of membrane were aluminum (Al), that could be use aluminate coagulant to make increase more aluminum. And the TOC value of the effluent were from 0.2 to 1.4 mg/L, that shows the effluent water was kept stably but UV254 value were have more than 75% efficiency. Results of organic analysis on LPRO effluent indicates the pretreatment process could leave annular structure organic. In other hand, when using EEFM to analysis the spectra sampling of organic of LPRO, there finding a lot low emission wavelength fluoresces of influent on EX/EM 230/340 and decrease the wavelength fluoresces value on EX/EM 280/330 and 240/340 by RO membrane system of LPRO. To be worth mentioning, when organism of sampling fluoresces value during high emission wavelength on EX/EM 240/400 nm was disappeared, that indicates RO membrane has good performance to separation organism of water. And results of elements analysis on RO membrane surface were using SEM and EDX have a lot aluminum and silicate on segment RO membrane module. Therefore, results show pretreatment process of coagulation and sedimentation could not treatment metal substances and organic efficiency, that was to effect directly cause to make the problems of membrane fouling and clogging.

Thèse de doctorat : Génie des procédés et des produits : Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, INPL : 2005. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr.