Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES) for use as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) sensors, systems incorporating BES sensors for measuring BOD, and methods of using the sensors and systems for measuring BOD. The disclosed sensors are inexpensive to construct, long-lasting, have a fast response, and a large dynamic range. The invention includes biological oxygen demand (BOD) sensors which incorporate at least three working electrodes, at least one counter electrode, a reservoir for dilution fluid, and a sensor for measuring an electric current or a voltage which flows from the working electrodes to the counter electrode. The BOD sensors will typically also include at least one electrically active microbe disposed in proximity to the working electrode.

The present invention relates to a method of separating cultured cells, which is used in a configuration including: a first accommodation space; a cell suspension which is present in a liquid in the first accommodation space in a state in which a plurality of cells is connected to one another; a filter container which is hermetically connected to the first accommodation space and mounted with a cell dividing member having one or more through holes having an average diameter of 5 μm to 300 μm; and a second accommodation space which is hermetically connected to the filter container, in which the cell suspension flows from the first accommodation space to the second accommodation space through the filter, such that the connection between the cells is passively and mechanically separated while the cells collide with a fixed resistance portion of the filter.

The present disclosure relates to a sensor for monitoring metabolic activity of a population of exo-electrogenic bacteria in response to one or more agents in oxygenated water or wastewater in a water or wastewater treatment system. The sensor comprises: at least one electrode pair comprising an anode and a cathode, the anode in electrical communication with the exo-electrogenic bacteria for receiving electrons therefrom; a current sensor for measuring electron flow between the anode and the cathode and producing an electrical output that correlates with metabolic activity of the exo-electrogenic bacteria; and a power source in electrical communication with the electrode pair for delivering a voltage across the electrode pair. A method, system, and exo-electrogenic bacteria used for monitoring and/or controlling one or more agents in oxygenated water or wastewater is also provided.

An imaging flow cytometer device includes a housing holding a multi-color illumination source configured for pulsed or continuous wave operation. A microfluidic channel is disposed in the housing and is fluidically coupled to a source of fluid containing objects that flow through the microfluidic channel. A color image sensor is disposed adjacent to the microfluidic channel and receives light from the illumination source that passes through the microfluidic channel. The image sensor captures image frames containing raw hologram images of the moving objects passing through the microfluidic channel. The image frames are subject to image processing to reconstruct phase and/or intensity images of the moving objects for each color. The reconstructed phase and/or intensity images are then input to a trained deep neural network that outputs a phase recovered image of the moving objects. The trained deep neural network may also be trained to classify object types.

A system and method for the detection and elimination of microorganisms in a water flow. The method comprises the steps of: arranging at least one light emission element at a water flow point, arranging of at least one light capture element at the water flow point, detecting the presence of the microorganism through the first light emission event and eliminating the microorganism through the realization of a second light emission event. It also describes a detection module which can be positioned at a water flow point.

A method for estimating the prevalence of a biochemical condition in a population includes accessing, based on a wastewater sample collected by a wastewater sampling system that samples from a wastewater flow serving the population: a biochemical indicator concentration of a biochemical indicator characterized by a correlation of the biochemical indicator with the biochemical condition; and a biomarker concentration of a biomarker correlated with presence of human excreta. The method also includes: normalizing the biochemical indicator concentration based on the biomarker concentration; adjusting the biochemical indicator concentration based on decay characteristics of the biochemical indicator in wastewater; calculating a biochemical indicator mass estimate for the population based on the biochemical indicator concentration and an effective flow volume of the wastewater flow; and estimating a prevalence of the biochemical condition in the population based on the correlation of the biochemical indicator to the biochemical condition and the biochemical indicator mass estimate.

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining optimal preservation temperature of aerobic denitrifiers in wastewater treatment for total nitrogen removal, and belongs to the technical field of environmental engineering. The method of the present disclosure comprises measuring the cell activity state of the aerobic denitrifier stored at different temperatures based on flow cytometry, and taking the preservation temperature closest to the cell activity state of the aerobic denitrifier during the pilot operation as the optimum preservation temperature, and the data obtained from the test uses the cell activity state and performance effects after activity recovery to verify reliability. By using the method of the present disclosure, the step of recovering the aerobic denitrifier activity can be omitted, and the wastewater treatment plant, which intends to adopt the aerobic denitrifier process technology to achieve efficient removal of nitrate and total nitrogen, is effectively helped to realize the energy saving, consumption reducing operation, and the removal rate of nitrate and total nitrogen can reach 90% and 88% respectively. At the same time, the starting time of engineering application of the aerobic denitrifier process can be effectively shortened, the long-term stable operation of the aerobic denitrifier process is maintained, and the method has high industrial feasibility.

There is provided a toxicant monitoring system for continuously monitoring level of a toxicant in wastewater comprising: a microbial electrochemical sensor; an electrical sensor; a process controller configured to execute instructions for monitoring the level of toxicant in the wastewater, the instructions including collection of a sample by an auto-sampler and generation of a notification by a telecommunication system; an input port to provide wastewater and fuel to the microbial electrochemical sensor; and an output port to receive the wastewater after the wastewater contacts the microbial electrochemical sensor.

A method for characterizing toxicity of toxic pollutants and a method for characterizing comprehensive toxicity of water bodies. The methods include constructing a reporter gene cell line expressing CHOP gene associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Apparatus for controlling algae and bio-organisms in bodies of fluids, such as water. The algae control system includes a power unit and a transducer unit that includes a sonic head that radiates in multiple directions. The power unit connects to various power sources, including a mains supply connection, a solar panel array, and/or a battery. The power unit is electrically connected to the transducer unit. The sonic head includes a driver and a transducer subassembly. The driver excites the transducer subassembly to emit ultrasonic waves at various frequencies in the water surrounding the sonic head. Emissions at a high density of frequencies are enabled by the transducers. The frequencies include the critical structural resonant frequency for each microorganism to be controlled. The power unit and driver each include a processor in communication with each other. The processors store and execute a program for a selected application configuration.