Building toward predicting pathogen inactivation during water treatment: Role of chlorine speciation in viral genome chlorination

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Providing clean and safe drinking water is a 21st century National Academy of Engineering grand challenge. However, accomplishing this goal sustainably is becoming increasingly more complex as water utilities must balance the lowering the acute health risks posed by pathogens and the chronic health risks posed by trace organic contaminants during treatment. Achieving an optimal balance is further exacerbated by the effects of climate change and the potential emergence of new viral threats. In this seminar, I will focus on how understanding the fundamental chemistry behind viral genome chlorination could lead to models that could help us predict viral inactivation. First, I will highlight the knowledge gaps that exist in regards to the chlorine species that are responsible for genome reactivity. Second, I will show how applying analytical chemistry methods used in the trace organic contaminant field can help us understand viral genome chlorination mechanisms. I will end the seminar by discussing the potential for genome chlorination byproducts to pose chronic health risks in water distribution systems.

Dr. Aleksandra “Alex” Szczuka is an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at the University of Michigan. Her research, motivated by broad access to safe and affordable water, uses fundamental chemistry and microbiology to inform treatment of non-traditional water sources to safeguard public health. Alex is especially interested in understanding acute and chronic health risk drivers and improving emerging treatment technologies, with emphasis on technologies that can recover valuable water resources at lower costs. She collaborates with researchers, engineers and utilities to foster the adoption of promising technologies by practitioners. Her work has been supported by multiple fellowships, including a University of Michigan Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship, American Water Works Association’s Abel Wolman Graduate Fellowship, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Alex received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University, and a B.S.E. degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Princeton University.