The Ecoplas project is developing a measuring system that can quickly measure E.coli bacteria in water on-site in order to monitor water quality. The sensor is based on a special plasmonic nanostructure that changes depending on the concentration and cell viability of the E.coli bacteria. By integrating this sensor into an online system, it is possible to continuously detect whether the water treatment meets microbiological standards. The project thus makes an important contribution to protecting the increasingly scarce resource of water through well-controlled agricultural reuse – while also helping to save energy and chemicals in the treatment process. A user dialogue, led by ISOE, will also ensure the development of the measuring system and its use in various fields of application.
Research approach
The aim of the research project is to close the time monitoring gap in wastewater treatment by using online measurement on-site. Near real-time feedback to the disinfection system will enable rapid, concentration-dependent adjustment of the ozone dosage. The direct measurement of E.coli concentrations and cell viability – i.e., the proportion of living cells in the total cell count – is now possible for the first time, enabling problems in the areas of water quality, public health, and environmental protection to be addressed effectively.
ISOE works at the interface between the developers of the measuring system and future users in the water sector by providing scientific support for the development of the measuring system in user dialogues. In these dialog formats, it involves representatives from various user fields – such as equipment manufacturers, wastewater treatment plant operators, water and soil associations – in the development process in order to enhance and ensure the effectiveness of the measuring system. In addition, ISOE is involved in determining the potential of the measuring system in terms of efficiency gains and resource savings.
Background
Climate change has significantly increased the need for agricultural irrigation in Germany in recent years. Forecasts indicate that agricultural irrigation, which currently accounts for approximately five percent of arable land, will continue to increase in the future. Due to this rising demand for water, alternative irrigation options are becoming increasingly important. These include, among other things, water reuse in agriculture. Effective and reliable monitoring of the microbiological requirements for irrigation water is an essential prerequisite for water reuse in accordance with the applicable EU Regulation 2020/741. Currently, the concentrations of indicator organisms are monitored using cultural methods in the laboratory. It usually takes two days to obtain the final result. This control gap makes it impossible to act quickly. The Ecoplas research project is therefore developing a measuring system with near-real-time detection that enables the local and safe reuse of treated water in a resource-efficient manner. The sensor is also intended for use in other areas of application, such as bathing water monitoring.
Research and project partners
- Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), Materials Diagnostics Division
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Institute for Hygiene and Public Health / University Hospital Bonn
Practical partners
- ECH Elektrochemie Halle GmbH (project management)
- Wastewater Association Braunschweig (AVB)
- dresden electronik ingenieurtechnik GmbH
- Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH
- GeSiM – Gesellschaft für Silizium-Mikrosysteme mbH
- Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband (associated partner)
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Xylem Services GmbH (associated partner)
Funding
The project “Ecoplas – Measuring system with plasmonic sensor for on-site analysis of E.coli contamination for water reuse” is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFTR) as part of the Quantum Systems funding program.
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