Field Verification of Micro/Ultra Filtration

The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate a microwave flow cytometer technique for online detection, differentiation and counting of solid particles and spiked Escherichia coli (E. coli) in filtered water. The total number of particles, particle size distribution between 0.5 and 5 microns, E. coli and E. coli viability in water samples will be obtained without using chemical reagents or labels. The flow rate of the continuously sampled water for testing is 100 mL/8-hours. The results will be verified with conventional and standard water quality monitoring methods to demonstrate the feasibility of microwave techniques for online monitoring of water quality and water treatment processes, and establish the foundation for Phase II prototype development. Rapid, accurate and robust measurement of waterborne pathogens is key for developing new water treatment processes for expeditionary water supply operations and protecting the public from waterborne pathogen infection outbreaks. Flow cytometry is currently the leading technique for such measurements, but the technique is limited by the required labeling and inadequate sensitivity. Our preliminary results show that the proposed microwave flow cytometer is promising to address these problems and enable comprehensive, high throughput measurement of microorganisms and particles in water.