Professor McDonald, thank you for your comments.

The antibody can not distinguish between live and dead cells. My intact oocysts will not initiate infection unless they are alive (viable). In order for infection to occur, the oocysts opens, releases sporozoites, and begins the life cycle; the antibody stains all life cycle/stages. When I view the life cycle/stages under the microscope, I can distinguish a single oocyst from the viable oocysts in the life cycle (clusters). I should also note that I only see fluorescence when using controls (live and enumerated oocysts sans treatment). Once the PECO treatment has been applied, my samples are completely devoid of any fluorescence.

I had the opportunity to take a PECO device with me to Haiti. While the device disinfected cholera, concern over available electrical outlets for the device was/is an obstacle in implementation. I relayed this information to the company AquaMost Inc., and we are currently exploring options to use this device with an alternative energy supply (batteries, solar panel, etc.). The cost of the device, without mass production, is $150(USD). Cost to operate the device will rely on the usage cost for a particular region once the device is implemented.

Not all applications for the device are relegated to the developing world. This device, as a point of use system, can be utilized by the military, regions of the United States that do not rely on a water utility for water distribution, and other regions of the world (natural disaster areas) that may need alternative water treatment options for a short period of time.

Thank you for commenting, Professor Buneo.

One barrier that might prevent me from implementing this technique on a large scale is availability of electrical power. A power generator will need to be used once/if the power infrastructure is no longer accessible. Also, another barrier may be access to maintenance supplies once the device has run its course. Since the PECO device is in the preliminary stages, “life” of the device has yet to be determined.

The energy demand for the PECO device is approximately 0.06 kwh/gallon, compared to that of the established technique of microfiltration requiring 0.1kwh/gallon. However, the microfilters are prone to breakage and clogging of the pore strips. This is not a concern for the PECO device, as the device is effective using UV, Chlorine, and OH radicals for the advanced treatment technology.

Regarding the recirculation system, I have plans to explore a “one time pass” approach using the PECO device. At the time for the submission for this competition, my results showed inactivation by the 3 minute sampling period. After my NSF competition submission, I have achieved complete inactivation of Cryptosporidium by 1 min and 30s; this correlates to a “one time pass” inactivation. Pending further funding, I hope to explore a “one time pass” with the PECO device.

Thank you, Laurel. I am fortunate to be part of this project that ties in population health, global environment, and engineering…the joys of being part of IGERT.

Thank you, Joseph. The goal is to scale up PECO for a larger volumes of water. I was provided with limited lab space to conduct my research, so I had to use a smaller PECO device. The results thus far are great; I look forward to future work with a larger device.

Thank you, Thaís. I am proud to be part of a project that will help numerous communities of people.

I am glad you viewed and understood my presentation, Kathryn.

The current treatment options vary based on location around the world and who provides the water. Water utilities have specific regulations that must be followed regarding pathogens, bacteria, chlorine concentration, etc. The water utility provides excellent water, but large land area for the facility to be housed, along with continual financial backing, is not always an option for everyone in the world.

If water is not provided by a water utility, then it is the responsibility of the user to treat their own water. From my research, I have read about low maintenance options where people around the world use either clay pots (filtration), solar disinfection (UV), or chlorine tablets (disinfection) to treat their water. My project focuses on the point-of-use device that uses disinfection (chlorine), ultraviolet radiation, and hydroxyl radicals (an oxidant) to treat water.

I am glad you enjoyed my presentation, Jennifer. Please contact me at kryoung@wisc.edu to further discuss a live demonstration.

Thank you, Xiaoli.

I am glad you learned a lot, Geoffrey.

Zak,

Thank you for your comments. I was able to see your “Snow melt, pollination, and Rock n Roll” video. I too think that your research is fantastic and important; thank you for linking the video to your profile.