24
Using Phages for Characterization of Effluent
Quality in a Stabilization Pond and Reservoirs
System in Arid Regions
L. Alcalde 2 , G. Oron l ,\ L. Gillennan l , M. Salgot 2 , F. Trachtenberg 3 A. Amar 3 , and
1. Tapias 2
I Environmental Water Resources, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, The
Institute for Desert Research, Kiryat Sde-Boker 84990, Israel, and the Department
of Industrial Engineering and Management, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. email:
gidi@,bgumaiLbgu.ac.iJ; Tel: +972-8-659-6900; Fax: +972-8-659-6909
2 Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, Joan XXIII, sin 08028
Barcelona, Spain.
3 The Municipality of the City of Arad, Arad 80100, Israel
4 The Grand Water Research Institute, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
Abstract
Reuse of treated wastewater is a favorable direction for solving water shortage
problems and meeting environmental quality criteria. Domestic wastewater in
isolated communities in arid regions can be treated efficiently in a stabilization
pond systems. The effluent quality can be further improved when stored in a series
of stabilization reservoirs. There are a series of parameters, which characterize the
effluent quality for agricultural reuse. The conventional biological parameters
include fecal coliforms as a microbial indicator. The use of fecal colifonns does
not reflect the viral pollution of the effluent due to the poor correlation with virus
occurrence, Therefore, phages are proposed as enteric ~irus pollution indicators,
Phages exhibit similar behavior and survival in aquatic environment, and their
quantitative assessment is easy and a reliable enteric virus measure. Field results
from the treatment plant of the City of Arad (Israel) reveal the possibility of
characterizing the effluent quality in a stabilization pond and reservoir system.
The treatment plant includes a porous rock dike, resembling a horizontal trickling
filter.
H. Rubin / P. Nachtnebel / J. Fuerst I U. Shamir
Preserving the Quality of Our Water Resources
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2002
Using Phages for Characterization of Effluent
Quality in a Stabilization Pond and Reservoirs
System in Arid Regions
L. Alcalde 2 , G. Oron l ,\ L. Gillennan l , M. Salgot 2 , F. Trachtenberg 3 A. Amar 3 , and
1. Tapias 2
I Environmental Water Resources, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, The
Institute for Desert Research, Kiryat Sde-Boker 84990, Israel, and the Department
of Industrial Engineering and Management, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. email:
gidi@,bgumaiLbgu.ac.iJ; Tel: +972-8-659-6900; Fax: +972-8-659-6909
2 Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, Joan XXIII, sin 08028
Barcelona, Spain.
3 The Municipality of the City of Arad, Arad 80100, Israel
4 The Grand Water Research Institute, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
Abstract
Reuse of treated wastewater is a favorable direction for solving water shortage
problems and meeting environmental quality criteria. Domestic wastewater in
isolated communities in arid regions can be treated efficiently in a stabilization
pond systems. The effluent quality can be further improved when stored in a series
of stabilization reservoirs. There are a series of parameters, which characterize the
effluent quality for agricultural reuse. The conventional biological parameters
include fecal coliforms as a microbial indicator. The use of fecal colifonns does
not reflect the viral pollution of the effluent due to the poor correlation with virus
occurrence, Therefore, phages are proposed as enteric ~irus pollution indicators,
Phages exhibit similar behavior and survival in aquatic environment, and their
quantitative assessment is easy and a reliable enteric virus measure. Field results
from the treatment plant of the City of Arad (Israel) reveal the possibility of
characterizing the effluent quality in a stabilization pond and reservoir system.
The treatment plant includes a porous rock dike, resembling a horizontal trickling
filter.
H. Rubin / P. Nachtnebel / J. Fuerst I U. Shamir
Preserving the Quality of Our Water Resources
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2002