Michigan Technological University Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports 2019 Pathogen and Indicator Organism Inactivation and Quantification for Low-Cost Low-Tech Biosolids Treatment Karina Eyre Michigan Technological University, [email protected] Copyright 2019 Karina Eyre Recommended Citation Eyre, Karina, "Pathogen and Indicator Organism Inactivation and Quantification for Low-Cost Low-Tech Biosolids Treatment", Open Access Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2019. https://doi.org/10.37099/mtu.dc.etdr/791 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etdr Part of the Biology Commons, and the Environmental Engineering Commons PATHOGEN AND INDICATOR ORGANISM INACTIVATION AND QUANTIFICATION FOR LOW-COST LOW-TECH BIOSOLIDS TREATMENT By Karina M. Eyre A THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In Environmental Engineering MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2019 © 2019 Karina M. Eyre This thesis has been approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Environmental Engineering. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Thesis Co-Advisor: Eric A. Seagren, PhD, PE Thesis Co-Advisor: Jennifer G. Becker, PhD Committee Member: Stephen Techtmann, PhD Committee Member: Ebenezer Tumban, PhD Department Chair: Audra Morse, PE, BCEE, F.ASCE Table of Contents 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................1 1.1 Project Background ......................................................................................1 1.1.1 What are Biosolids? ......................................................................... 1 1.1.2 EPA Regulations for Biosolids ......................................................... 1 1.1.3 Regulated Pathogens and Indicator Organisms in Biosolids ............ 4 1.2 Scope and Objectives of Study ..................................................................... 6 2 Air Drying Literature Review ................................................................................... 9 2.1 Process Description ...................................................................................... 9 2.2 Mechanisms of Pathogen Destruction ......................................................... 10 2.2.1 Drying ............................................................................................ 10 2.2.2 Elevated Temperatures.................................................................. 11 2.2.3 Chemical Action ............................................................................. 12 2.2.4 Competition with Nonpathogenic Bacteria ..................................... 12 2.3 Treatment Considerations ........................................................................... 13 2.3.1 Pretreatment .................................................................................. 13 2.3.2 Pathogen Regrowth ....................................................................... 14 2.3.3 Climate .......................................................................................... 15 2.3.4 Mixing ............................................................................................ 15 2.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................ 17 3 Laboratory Scale Development ............................................................................. 18 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 18 v 3.2 Summary of Pilot Scale Results ................................................................. 18 3.3 Factors of Importance ................................................................................ 19 3.3.1 Total Solids ................................................................................... 19 3.3.2 Temperature.................................................................................. 20 3.3.3 Volatile Fatty Acids ........................................................................ 20 3.3.4 pH ................................................................................................. 20 3.4 Selected Parameters .................................................................................. 21 3.5 Experimental Methodology ......................................................................... 21 3.5.1 Microbial Testing ........................................................................... 21 3.5.2 Total Solids Adjustment ................................................................. 25 3.5.3 VFA Adjustment ............................................................................ 29 3.5.4 Temperature Adjustment ............................................................... 29 3.5.5 pH Adjustment ............................................................................... 29 3.5.6 Individual Reactor Designs ............................................................ 31 3.5.7 Large-Scale Batch Reactors .......................................................... 41 3.6 Conclusions ............................................................................................... 51 4 Method Verification and Implementation for Coliphage Testing in Biosolids ......... 53 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 53 4.2 Methods ..................................................................................................... 56 4.2.1 Test Materials Preparation ............................................................ 56 4.2.2 SAL and DAL Methods .................................................................. 57 4.2.3 Development of the ENR/MPN method for Biosolids Samples ...... 57 4.2.4 Application of the ENR/MPN Method at PLWSA ........................... 62 4.3 Results and Discussion .............................................................................. 62 vi 4.3.1 Biosolids in SAL and DAL Methods ............................................... 62 4.3.2 Development of the ENR/MPN Method for Biosolids Samples ....... 63 4.3.3 Comparison of the SAL, DAL and ENR/MPN Methods for Aqueous Samples ..................................................................................................... 77 4.3.4 Application of ENR/MPN Method at PLWSA .................................. 78 4.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................ 84 5 Summary and Conclusions ................................................................................... 85 5.1 Preliminary Evaluation of Lab Scale Study Design...................................... 85 5.1.1 Microbial Inoculations .................................................................... 85 5.1.2 Total Solids Adjustment ................................................................. 85 5.1.3 pH adjustment ............................................................................... 85 5.1.4 VFA Additions ................................................................................ 86 5.1.5 Temperature .................................................................................. 86 5.2 Modified ENR/MPN Coliphage Method ....................................................... 86 5.2.1 Detection ....................................................................................... 86 5.2.2 Reductions in interferences ........................................................... 87 5.2.3 Quality control ................................................................................ 87 5.2.4 PLWSA Results ............................................................................. 87 5.3 Recommendations for Future Work ............................................................ 88 5.3.1 Lab Scale ...................................................................................... 88 5.3.2 Coliphage ...................................................................................... 88 vii 6 Reference List ...................................................................................................... 89 A Methods ............................................................................................................... 97 B Standard Operating Procedure for GFP E. Coli .................................................. 108 C Modifications for EPA 1601 for Use in Biosolids ................................................. 113 D Copyright documentation .................................................................................... 118 viii List of figures Figure 2.1: The Air Drying Process ................................................................................ 10 Figure 3.1 Optical Density of GFP vs Time .................................................................... 23 Figure 3.2 Colony Forming Units per mL vs Optical Density 600 ................................... 24 Figure 3.3 Biosolids Drying Rates when held at 37 °C for 140 hours ............................. 26 Figure 3.4 Fecal Coliform Survival in Biosolids dried at 37 °C ....................................... 27 Figure 3.5 Sieved biosolids (left) vs retained (right) ....................................................... 28 Figure 3.6 TS measurements for 4% trial reactors ......................................................... 33 Figure 3.7 Fecal Coliform Levels in 4% trial reactors