Performic Acid Disinfection in Wastewater Effluent and CSOs in Context of Disinfection By-Products and Future Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Viruses

The purpose of this project is to study performic acid (PFA) wastewater and combined sewer overflow (CSO) disinfection applications. In the study, we will benchmark PFA against peracetic acid (PAA) and chlorine (as sodium hypochlorite). The project includes bench- and pilot-scale studies for bacterial (total and fecal coliform, E. coli, enterococcus), spore surrogates (Aspergillus brasiliensis) and viral indicators (F+ coliphage [MS2] and murine norovirus) as well as disinfection by-products (DBPs). In addition, process control and modeling approaches will help improve how PFA, PAA, and sodium hypochlorite are dosed to avoid under-treatment (low pathogen inactivation) or over-treatment (high consumption of disinfectant and potential of DBPs formation) scenarios and hence providing environmental and economic benefits. This project will potentially affect thousands of North American wastewater treatment plants in their control of the transmission of waterborne diseases.