Fluorescence Water Quality Assessment - Research Proposal Example

 FLUORESCENCE WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT Student’s name Course Instructor Institution Location Date Abstract This paper is a research proposal aimed at designing a real-time water quality assessment instrument. With companies in the UK having to conform to set regulations on ensuring quality water supply, it is then necessary to come up with a device that will ensure real-time, reliable water monitoring technique. Ancient techniques did not provide solutions for real-time assessment but only at the consumer’s tap. The designed instrument consists mainly of photomultiplier tubes located at the center points of the fluorescence signal for detecting emissions’ concave mirror situated directly opposite the LED is used to refocus the LED light into the system to achieve the desired sensitivity. The primary contaminants of water are microbial and organic compounds such as the T and C compounds. The ratio of their degree of concentration dictates the sensitivity of the system. With high sensitivity, monitoring of the contaminants is easy thus control of the water quality for distribution. The primary objectives of the proposal are to provide real-time assessment of water quality in the distribution system as well as the determination of the level of intensity and type of contaminants. Realization of this objectives are met by the designed instrument operating under the principles of fluorescence Keywords: Fluorescence, Total organic compound, Photomultiplier Tubes LED. Introduction Water quality assessment is a vital step in the society today. Ensuring quality water supply to a nation’s consumers is a significant development towards a healthy country. In the UK, the health of its citizens is highly prioritized thus water distribution companies operate under regulations of ensuring not only quality but high-quality water distribution to the consumers (Yamashita et al., 2010). Earlier techniques did not allow for so much quality assessment as many of the techniques limited evaluation at the final stage of water distribution, such as the consumption level at the customer’s tap. This could not allow in time assess and control of the pollutants and contaminants of the distributed water thus quality was not that much regulated. With the introduction of fluorescence technique, it is, therefore, possible to assess contaminants not only at any time but also at any point of the distribution network. This has helped so much in improving the quality of distributed water and companies have found a way out of the much-needed regulations. They can now analyze contaminants at any point of the distribution, determine the concentration of the pollutants at any point of the distribution system and apply the necessary measures in ensuring the highest water quality is distributed. Earlier water quality assessment techniques such as the Total organic carbon (TOC) could only analyze a given contaminant at a time to be specific organic carbon contaminants only (Gros et al., 2010). This made it difficult to improve quality of water distribution as you could deal with only one contaminant at a time thus the others were left unattended. Fluorescence technique ensures all the contaminants and pollutants being assessed at a time and any point of the distribution system thus applying the necessary measures such that when the water finally reaches the consumer, then it be of the best quality possible. Project Description Research Question It is possible to come up with an instrument that would ensure real-time monitoring and analysis of water in a distribution system for quality assessment purposes? The project is mainly aimed at designing a circuit to control LED light source and photodiode to monitor fluorescence signal from a water distribution system and specifically a water tank. The circuit will ensure real-time monitoring and assessment of water quality within the distribution system thus enabling an improved quality distribution system. Objectives To design a real-time instrument/circuit to be used in assessing water quality within a distribution system. To find out the primary organic pollutants and their level of concentration in most UK water distribution systems. To investigate the primary microbial contaminants and their concentration levels in UK water distribution systems. Through analysis and evaluation of fluorescence from a given distribution system, then the chief objectives of the project will be realized as the emitted radiation in a different wavelength is only but an enlarged reality in the system Literature Review Water quality assessment in the UK has for years been conducted at the main let out that is the customer’s tap. This means for years it has not been possible to assess the quality of water within the distribution system. This means that evaluating and analyzing physical, microbial and chemical pollutants and contaminants of water within the system has not been possible. Application of fluorescence to measure that quality within the distribution system would be a significant achievement (Baghoth, Sharma, and Amy, 2011) Fluorescence is the application of the ability of water to absorb certain wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation and emitting the same radiations at a different wavelength The emitted wavelengths can then be analyzed and evaluated to show what type and level of organic and microbial(C and T) contaminants and pollutants are within the distribution system and appropriate actions to improve the quality of water distributed. The commonly applied technique for assessing water quality is the optical measurement of UV absorbance. Fluorescence is preferred to this since it is a reagent-less technique thus introduces no any contaminants to the water being assessed and again it is a technique highly sensitive to microbial and organic pollutants and contaminants. Since water is customarily evaluated using physical, microbial and chemical tests, Fluorescence spectroscopy has been found to provide a reliable technique to analyze and monitor wastewater. It provides a sensitive, less expensive technique for measuring water contamination within the system compared to other methods in use. The emitted wavelengths are analyzed online by running the software on the notepad computer connected to the designed instrument. Water in distribution systems has been characterized to have higher fluorescence intensity in-terms of peak C (microbial reprocessed organic matter). I also have a peak T (living and dead cellular material and their exudates) Total organic carbon (TOC) (Fellman, Hood, and Spencer, 2010). They are the commonly used techniques in assessing water quality during supply. It mainly analyses organic compounds and does not keenly address other contaminants. Water companies in the UK are tasked with ensuring distributed water to the consumers is of set standard and quality and therefore the need for a reliable technique to enable them to meet these requirements. Fluorescence technique has been proved to provide a solution to these set targets as it allows for assessment of water quality at any point of the distribution process, highlighting almost all the contaminants and pollutants at a more sensitive level. Water companies thus will have a way out in managing and complying with the chemical and biological requirements of water distribution. Fluorescence technique provides a real-time assessment of water quality within the distribution network thus most reliable method. For a long time, water quality assessment has been a problem due to the inability to analyze the components of the said water within its distribution system (Stedmon et al., 2011). This meant distributing water with whatever contaminants it picks in the system Consumers were subjected to several contamination risks. The level of the contaminants could not also be established within the distribution system. Fluorescence technique has enabled real-time water distribution assessment, level of contaminants and pollutants regulation and specification of the various contaminants and pollutants within the distribution system and action taken before the final consumer is reached. This water quality assessment technique has gone a long way in ensuring improved quality of water being supplied to consumers and thus companies meeting the set regulations on the water quality distribution. Impacts of water quality assessment using fluorescence With the application of fluorescence in assessing water quality, several milestones have been achieved The government can monitor and control the level of pollutants and contaminants at any point of the distribution system as the process is in real time using fluorescence technique. This is as opposed to earlier procedures that would only monitor water quality at the consumer taps Fluorescence has provided a detailed way of establishing the concentration of contaminants in water and thereby a more natural way of controlling the levels to achieve a specific quality to consumers. This has helped companies in the UK to conform to the set regulations of ensuring safe and quality water distribution to consumers (Damez, and Clerjon, 2013). The level of physical, chemical and microbial contaminants can now be regulated with ease and at specific levels. Microbial and organic compounds can quickly and efficiently be controlled thanks to the fluorescence technique. The idea of fluorescence in water quality assessment was first put to the test to establish a chicken farm and household discharges (Cundall, 2013). Two fluorescence indices were put to use. One showed the extent of contamination of the water system, while the other index was vital in discriminating between the types of contaminants. The indices were the humification index (HIX) and the tyrosine: tryptophan ratio (Tyr/Trp) with their functions in the process as described above respectively. With this earlier technique, it was possible to identify chicken farm and household discharges in a given water distribution system thus easier to deal with it. The laser-induced technology was first put into practice in the early 1960’s with developments done to date (Matthews, Bernard, and Winter, 2010). The earlier application was on limited contaminants and pollutants that later developed with time such that nowadays several of the pollutants can be analyzed at the same time. Methodology The circuit is a portable device comprising of optomechanics, electronic circuitry and rechargeable battery all bound in a casing mainly an insulating housing. The circuit provides a port to that allows for connection of a notepad computer that aids in running the software that analyses the pollutants and contaminants in the water distribution system and shows their level of concentration. When assembled, the circuit approximately would weigh 3.5kg with a battery life of 8-9h but depend on the usage of the notepad computer (Garutti, 2011). The circuitry will appear as shown below when assembled. Source: (Garutti, 2011) The PMT (photomultiplier tube) aids in detecting emissions from the distribution system and it is located at the center points of fluorescent signal (Birdwell and Engel, 2010). The concave mirrors refocus LED lights into the sample and are located directly opposite the LEDs. Results With the instrument set and assembled as per the circuitry below, it was found to function as required with higher sensitivity on peak C with total organic carbon and nearly comparable sensitivity on peak T with regulatory measures of bacteria. LED and PMTs in the device circuitry These comparisons show clearly that the portable instrument can record the two peaks' at nearly considerable intensities for a range of fluorescence concentrations (Garutti, 2011). The position and intensity of the peaks vary based on the source of the organic matter, such as household discharges, site geography, and farm discharges. By using various fluorescence indices, for example, humification index (HIX) and the tyrosine: tryptophan ratio (Tyr/Trp), one can distinguish the source of the contaminant. Calculating the ratio between different fluorescence peaks, it becomes possible to tell the approximate amount and the degree and nature of water contamination and thereby find solutions on how to counter the level of contamination to come up with the desired water quality (Zarco, González and Berni, 2012). The instrument therefore undoubtedly aids in quantifying the level of contaminants, and the type thus meets the main objectives of the project. Research Limitations This project was only limited to characteristics drawn from a water tank assuming it is a representative of a large water distribution plant. Conclusion Fluorescence technique of water quality assessment is the best technique that if keenly and adequately applied will ensure safe and quality water distribution. This has been shown through the techniques’ ability to allow real-time assessment of water within the distribution system and the provision to quantify the level of concentration of contaminants and pollutants within the same system. The ability to establish the specific contaminant is a step forward in improving water distribution quality (Petryayeva, Algar, and Medintz, 2013). All these aspects being realized using a single technique is a plus to the water quality assessment policy and when fully and keen put to the test the issue of quality in water being distributed to consumers will be a gone case. Careful implementation and proper application of the technique will help improve the quality of water supplied to consumers. References Baghoth, S.A., Sharma, S.K. and Amy, G.L., 2011. Tracking natural organic matter (NOM) in a drinking water treatment plant using fluorescence excitation-emission matrices and PARAFAC. Water Research, 45(2), pp.797-809. Birdwell, J.E. and Engel, A.S., 2010. Characterization of dissolved organic matter in a cave and spring waters using UV–Vis absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Organic Geochemistry, 41(3), pp.270-280. Cundall, R. ed., 2013. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in biochemistry and biology (Vol. 69). Springer Science & Business Media. Damez, J.L. and Clerjon, S., 2013. Quantifying and predicting meat and meat products quality attributes using electromagnetic waves: An overview. Meat science, 95(4), pp.879-896. Fellman, J.B., Hood, E. and Spencer, R.G., 2010. Fluorescence spectroscopy opens new windows into dissolved organic matter dynamics in freshwater ecosystems: A review. Limnology and Oceanography, 55(6), pp.2452-2462. Garutti, E., 2011. Silicon photomultipliers for high energy physics detectors. Journal of Instrumentation, 6(10), p.C10003. Gros, M., Petrović, M., Ginebreda, A., and Barceló, D., 2010. Removal of pharmaceuticals during wastewater treatment and environmental risk assessment using hazard indexes. Environment international, 36(1), pp.15-26. Matthews, M.W., Bernard, S. and Winter, K., 2010. Remote sensing of cyanobacteria-dominant algal blooms and water quality parameters in Zeekoevlei, a small hypertrophic lake, using MERIS. Remote Sensing of Environment, 114(9), pp.2070-2087. Petryayeva, E., Algar, W.R. and Medintz, I.L., 2013. Quantum dots in bioanalysis: a review of applications across various platforms for fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging. Applied spectroscopy, 67(3), pp.215-252. Stedmon, C.A., Seredyńska-Sobecka, B., Boe-Hansen, R., Le Tallec, N., Waul, C.K. and Arvin, E., 2011. A potential approach for monitoring drinking water quality from groundwater systems using organic matter fluorescence as an early warning for contamination events. Water research, 45(18), pp.6030-6038. Yamashita, Y., Scinto, L.J., Maie, N. and Jaffé, R., 2010. Dissolved organic matter characteristics across a subtropical wetland’s landscape: application of optical properties in the assessment of environmental dynamics. Ecosystems, 13(7), pp.1006-1019. Zarco-Tejada, P.J., González-Dugo, V. and Berni, J.A., 2012. Fluorescence, temperature and narrow-band indices acquired from a UAV platform for water stress detection using a micro-hyperspectral imager and a thermal camera. Remote Sensing of Environment, 117, pp.322-337. Read More

They can now analyze contaminants at any point of the distribution, determine the concentration of the pollutants at any point of the distribution system and apply the necessary measures in ensuring the highest water quality is distributed. Earlier water quality assessment techniques such as the Total organic carbon (TOC) could only analyze a given contaminant at a time to be specific organic carbon contaminants only (Gros et al., 2010). This made it difficult to improve quality of water distribution as you could deal with only one contaminant at a time thus the others were left unattended.

Fluorescence technique ensures all the contaminants and pollutants being assessed at a time and any point of the distribution system thus applying the necessary measures such that when the water finally reaches the consumer, then it be of the best quality possible. Project Description Research Question It is possible to come up with an instrument that would ensure real-time monitoring and analysis of water in a distribution system for quality assessment purposes? The project is mainly aimed at designing a circuit to control LED light source and photodiode to monitor fluorescence signal from a water distribution system and specifically a water tank.

The circuit will ensure real-time monitoring and assessment of water quality within the distribution system thus enabling an improved quality distribution system. Objectives To design a real-time instrument/circuit to be used in assessing water quality within a distribution system. To find out the primary organic pollutants and their level of concentration in most UK water distribution systems. To investigate the primary microbial contaminants and their concentration levels in UK water distribution systems.

Through analysis and evaluation of fluorescence from a given distribution system, then the chief objectives of the project will be realized as the emitted radiation in a different wavelength is only but an enlarged reality in the system Literature Review Water quality assessment in the UK has for years been conducted at the main let out that is the customer’s tap. This means for years it has not been possible to assess the quality of water within the distribution system. This means that evaluating and analyzing physical, microbial and chemical pollutants and contaminants of water within the system has not been possible.

Application of fluorescence to measure that quality within the distribution system would be a significant achievement (Baghoth, Sharma, and Amy, 2011) Fluorescence is the application of the ability of water to absorb certain wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation and emitting the same radiations at a different wavelength The emitted wavelengths can then be analyzed and evaluated to show what type and level of organic and microbial(C and T) contaminants and pollutants are within the distribution system and appropriate actions to improve the quality of water distributed.

The commonly applied technique for assessing water quality is the optical measurement of UV absorbance. Fluorescence is preferred to this since it is a reagent-less technique thus introduces no any contaminants to the water being assessed and again it is a technique highly sensitive to microbial and organic pollutants and contaminants. Since water is customarily evaluated using physical, microbial and chemical tests, Fluorescence spectroscopy has been found to provide a reliable technique to analyze and monitor wastewater.

It provides a sensitive, less expensive technique for measuring water contamination within the system compared to other methods in use. The emitted wavelengths are analyzed online by running the software on the notepad computer connected to the designed instrument. Water in distribution systems has been characterized to have higher fluorescence intensity in-terms of peak C (microbial reprocessed organic matter). I also have a peak T (living and dead cellular material and their exudates) Total organic carbon (TOC) (Fellman, Hood, and Spencer, 2010).

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