A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China

Epikarst springs are commonly used for drinking water in karst mountainous areas, but they tend to bring health risks to residents because of their vulnerability. In this work, a modified slow sand filtration system (M-SSF) was established as a case study to purify and conserve the epikarst spring w...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yuewen Zhao, Xiuyan Wang, Juan Yang, Changli Liu, Shuaiwei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IWA Publishing 2021-04-01
Series:Journal of Water and Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jwh.iwaponline.com/content/19/2/229
_version_ 1819011200599457792
author Yuewen Zhao
Xiuyan Wang
Juan Yang
Changli Liu
Shuaiwei Wang
author_facet Yuewen Zhao
Xiuyan Wang
Juan Yang
Changli Liu
Shuaiwei Wang
author_sort Yuewen Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Epikarst springs are commonly used for drinking water in karst mountainous areas, but they tend to bring health risks to residents because of their vulnerability. In this work, a modified slow sand filtration system (M-SSF) was established as a case study to purify and conserve the epikarst spring water. The outcomes indicate that the purification of M-SSF relies mainly on the adsorption and ion exchange of the filter medium (mixtures of heat-treated red clay and crushed limestone, MHRCCL) during the schmutzdecke juvenility, and on the schmutzdecke-formed food chain of pollutants → bacteria → protozoa after the schmutzdecke maturity. The closed water cellar lined with ceramic tiles could reduce the deterioration of epikarst spring water during storage. Via 16S rRNA sequencing, it was found that the high abundance of TM6_Dependentiae in purified epikarst spring water (PESW) suggested that the M-SSF system relies on the formation of a closed food chain to achieve effective water purification. The decrease of Pseudarcicella abundance in PESW indicated that M-SSF could effectively prevent the water quality from external influences represented by leeches. Besides, the 16S function prediction was used to qualitatively characterize microbial nitrogen metabolism, as well as organic matter degradation in water purification. HIGHLIGHTS The quality of epikarst spring water was significantly improved using the M-SSF.; TM6_Dependentiae indicated that the purification of M-SSF relies on the establishment of a closed food chain.; The M-SSF could prevent the purified epikarst spring water from being influenced by external pollution.;
first_indexed 2024-12-21T01:24:23Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c04816568fdc4fe38182c2b6826bb32c
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1477-8920
1996-7829
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T01:24:23Z
publishDate 2021-04-01
publisher IWA Publishing
record_format Article
series Journal of Water and Health
spelling doaj.art-c04816568fdc4fe38182c2b6826bb32c2022-12-21T19:20:34ZengIWA PublishingJournal of Water and Health1477-89201996-78292021-04-0119222924110.2166/wh.2021.242242A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, ChinaYuewen Zhao0Xiuyan Wang1Juan Yang2Changli Liu3Shuaiwei Wang4 Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, No. 268 North Zhonghua Street, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang 050061, China Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, No. 268 North Zhonghua Street, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang 050061, China Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, No. 268 North Zhonghua Street, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang 050061, China Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, No. 268 North Zhonghua Street, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang 050061, China Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, No. 268 North Zhonghua Street, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang 050061, China Epikarst springs are commonly used for drinking water in karst mountainous areas, but they tend to bring health risks to residents because of their vulnerability. In this work, a modified slow sand filtration system (M-SSF) was established as a case study to purify and conserve the epikarst spring water. The outcomes indicate that the purification of M-SSF relies mainly on the adsorption and ion exchange of the filter medium (mixtures of heat-treated red clay and crushed limestone, MHRCCL) during the schmutzdecke juvenility, and on the schmutzdecke-formed food chain of pollutants → bacteria → protozoa after the schmutzdecke maturity. The closed water cellar lined with ceramic tiles could reduce the deterioration of epikarst spring water during storage. Via 16S rRNA sequencing, it was found that the high abundance of TM6_Dependentiae in purified epikarst spring water (PESW) suggested that the M-SSF system relies on the formation of a closed food chain to achieve effective water purification. The decrease of Pseudarcicella abundance in PESW indicated that M-SSF could effectively prevent the water quality from external influences represented by leeches. Besides, the 16S function prediction was used to qualitatively characterize microbial nitrogen metabolism, as well as organic matter degradation in water purification. HIGHLIGHTS The quality of epikarst spring water was significantly improved using the M-SSF.; TM6_Dependentiae indicated that the purification of M-SSF relies on the establishment of a closed food chain.; The M-SSF could prevent the purified epikarst spring water from being influenced by external pollution.;http://jwh.iwaponline.com/content/19/2/22916s rrna sequencingbacterial community structureepikarst springschmutzdeckeslow sand filtration
spellingShingle Yuewen Zhao
Xiuyan Wang
Juan Yang
Changli Liu
Shuaiwei Wang
A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China
Journal of Water and Health
16s rrna sequencing
bacterial community structure
epikarst spring
schmutzdecke
slow sand filtration
title A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China
title_full A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China
title_fullStr A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China
title_full_unstemmed A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China
title_short A modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas, China
title_sort modified slow sand filtration system of epikarst spring water in karst mountainous areas china
topic 16s rrna sequencing
bacterial community structure
epikarst spring
schmutzdecke
slow sand filtration
url http://jwh.iwaponline.com/content/19/2/229
work_keys_str_mv AT yuewenzhao amodifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT xiuyanwang amodifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT juanyang amodifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT changliliu amodifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT shuaiweiwang amodifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT yuewenzhao modifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT xiuyanwang modifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT juanyang modifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT changliliu modifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina
AT shuaiweiwang modifiedslowsandfiltrationsystemofepikarstspringwaterinkarstmountainousareaschina