Periodic Reporting for period 1 - H2OforAll (Innovative Integrated Tools and Technologies to Protect and Treat Drinking Water from Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs))
Période du rapport: 2022-11-01 au 2024-04-30
Drinking water sources are often contaminated due to pollutants not removed by wastewater treatment plants or agriculture run-off. Moreover, the extreme weather events, attributed to climate change, create favorable conditions for eutrophication (leading to algal blooms) and pathogen development in water sources. Lower quality water at the source implies harsher disinfection conditions to achieve the regulatory requirements of free chlorine and microbial parameters for drinking water. Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are produced when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water during the traditional disinfection processes. The impact of DBPs at low concentrations on the environment and human health is still not totally known. However, toxic effects on liver activity and neurotoxicity have been already reported.
H2OforAll aims to understand the impact of DBPs through a robust knowledge of their sources, pathways, occurrence, persistence, and degradability, monitor their incidence through innovative and robust systems, implement advanced preventive and mitigating strategies and measures to avoid their formation, remediate water containing DBPs through advanced and cost-effective drinking water treatment processes and technologies and globally protecting the entire water chain while increasing EU guidance on measures to manage drinking water quality.
The consortium's work focuses on the technologies’ replicability and scalability and their real-scale implementation. The solutions to be developed will secure drinking water quality by protecting water sources against pollution, providing innovative monitoring and treatment solutions, and ensuring safe distribution. Such results will impact Europe’s innovation capacity in the water field and contribute to a more healthful and prosperous society targeting safe water for all.
H2OforAll aims to engage citizens and create awareness in water pollution prevention relying on social science experimental methodologies via a web platform to improve household water quality.
H2OforAll will provide reliable information about DBP toxicity and health impact and technologies to monitor and improve drinking water quality. Such data will be crucial for the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive and guide policy-makers for further water-related policy developments.
H2OforAll aims to understand the impact of DBPs through a robust knowledge of their sources, pathways, occurrence, persistence, and degradability, monitor their incidence through innovative and robust systems, implement advanced preventive and mitigating strategies and measures to avoid their formation, remediate water containing DBPs through advanced and cost-effective drinking water treatment processes and technologies and globally protecting the entire water chain while increasing EU guidance on measures to manage drinking water quality.
The consortium's work focuses on the technologies’ replicability and scalability and their real-scale implementation. The solutions to be developed will secure drinking water quality by protecting water sources against pollution, providing innovative monitoring and treatment solutions, and ensuring safe distribution. Such results will impact Europe’s innovation capacity in the water field and contribute to a more healthful and prosperous society targeting safe water for all.
H2OforAll aims to engage citizens and create awareness in water pollution prevention relying on social science experimental methodologies via a web platform to improve household water quality.
H2OforAll will provide reliable information about DBP toxicity and health impact and technologies to monitor and improve drinking water quality. Such data will be crucial for the implementation of the Drinking Water Directive and guide policy-makers for further water-related policy developments.
An optical sensing technology utilizing mid-infrared (MIR) sensors to detect DBPs in water was developed and is being optimized. A review identified key water quality parameters (WQPs) influencing DBP generation. A tailored sensing device was assembled to measure these WQPs, and probabilistic models are being applied to correlate WQPs with DBP formation, leading to a predictive sensing infrastructure. The relationship between DBPs and NOM is particularly important, as it has not been studied enough in the existing literature.
Advances were made in developing a Digital Central Knowledge Base (CKB) focused on user-friendly interfaces and adherence to FAIR data principles. Prototypes were tailored to operators, researchers, and regulators, incorporating feedback from stakeholders. CKB will be crucial for results exploitation and public engagement.
A review and survey ranked DBPs by hazard potential using TOPSIS. International drinking water practices and EU directives were compared, and the impact of climate change on drinking water quality was discussed. Several workshops with key stakeholders and water sector experts addressed unregulated DBP families, monitoring methods, risk management, and legislative gaps. The data gathered outlined an initial list of prevention and correction measures to ensure drinking water quality.
Intermittent chlorine dosing are being studied to reduce chlorine usage and prevent DBPs production. Parallelly, advanced remediation technologies evaluated for DBP precursors and DBPs include aerogels, activated carbon, magnetic bio-activated carbon, and advanced oxidation processes involving several catalysts. Batch tests identified promising materials now being tested in continuous operation. A reference case of water treatment for life cycle and cost analyses was selected to be compared with the proposed treatment technologies.
A social study is running to engage citizens and create awareness regarding water quality and prevention measures. Activities for children are also being developed.
Advances were made in developing a Digital Central Knowledge Base (CKB) focused on user-friendly interfaces and adherence to FAIR data principles. Prototypes were tailored to operators, researchers, and regulators, incorporating feedback from stakeholders. CKB will be crucial for results exploitation and public engagement.
A review and survey ranked DBPs by hazard potential using TOPSIS. International drinking water practices and EU directives were compared, and the impact of climate change on drinking water quality was discussed. Several workshops with key stakeholders and water sector experts addressed unregulated DBP families, monitoring methods, risk management, and legislative gaps. The data gathered outlined an initial list of prevention and correction measures to ensure drinking water quality.
Intermittent chlorine dosing are being studied to reduce chlorine usage and prevent DBPs production. Parallelly, advanced remediation technologies evaluated for DBP precursors and DBPs include aerogels, activated carbon, magnetic bio-activated carbon, and advanced oxidation processes involving several catalysts. Batch tests identified promising materials now being tested in continuous operation. A reference case of water treatment for life cycle and cost analyses was selected to be compared with the proposed treatment technologies.
A social study is running to engage citizens and create awareness regarding water quality and prevention measures. Activities for children are also being developed.
Several groundbreaking results were achieved:
• Optical sensor technologies: Infrared spectroscopic sensors for monitoring DBPs in drinking water.
• Auxiliary sensing devices: Assembled for monitoring WQPs and coupled to data analysis.
• Optimal sensor placement algorithms: For strategic placement of sensors within the water distribution network, towards the optimal monitoring of DBPs having a constrained set of sensory equipment.
• Comprehensive DBP assessment report: Enhanced understanding and evaluation of DBPs, examining their relation with WQPs.
• DBP ranking: Ranked DBPs based on prevalence and toxicity using an MCMD tool with available data.
• Preventive measures report: Compiled based on the practices of drinking water management for countries like Israel, Portugal, Netherlands, USA, and Australia.
• Novel adsorbents and catalysts: Developed and screened for effective removal of DBP precursors and DBPs from water.
• Optical sensor technologies: Infrared spectroscopic sensors for monitoring DBPs in drinking water.
• Auxiliary sensing devices: Assembled for monitoring WQPs and coupled to data analysis.
• Optimal sensor placement algorithms: For strategic placement of sensors within the water distribution network, towards the optimal monitoring of DBPs having a constrained set of sensory equipment.
• Comprehensive DBP assessment report: Enhanced understanding and evaluation of DBPs, examining their relation with WQPs.
• DBP ranking: Ranked DBPs based on prevalence and toxicity using an MCMD tool with available data.
• Preventive measures report: Compiled based on the practices of drinking water management for countries like Israel, Portugal, Netherlands, USA, and Australia.
• Novel adsorbents and catalysts: Developed and screened for effective removal of DBP precursors and DBPs from water.