퍼듀대학(Purdue University)과 덴버(Denver)의 메트로폴리탄 주립대학(Metropolitan State University)이 공동으로 발표한 새로운 연구는 건강 관리에 대한 지침과 식수를 제공하는 배관 시스템의 오염을 제거하는 방법 등을 포함한다. 이번 연구는 과학을 기반으로 한 플로싱 프로토콜(flushing protocols)의 첫 번째 단계로 식수 오염 사고를 복구하는데 적용할 수 있다.

“식수에서 최근 화학물질이 유출되거나 조류독소로 오염된 사건이 발생했던 바, 오염제거는 안전한 식수에 대한 접근을 회복시켜 영향을 받는 지역사회를 활성시키는 표준 단계”라고 퍼듀대학의 조교수이자 라일리 공과대학(Lyles School of Civil Engineering) 환경·생태공학부의 Andrew Whelton은 말했다.

A new study published by Purdue University (PU), in conjunction with Metropolitan State University (MSU) of Denver, provides guidance to health officials and drinking water providers on how to decontaminate plumbing systems. The research is the first step toward science-based flushing protocols that can be applied to recover from a drinking water contamination incident.

"In the wake of recent chemical spills and algal-toxin contamination events in drinking water, decontamination is a standard step in enabling the affected community to regain safe drinking water access," said Andrew Whelton, assistant professor in PU's Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering and Lyles School of Civil Engineering. "Within the last two years alone, communities in the United States and Canada have faced water contamination caused by chemical spills and algal toxins."

The findings are detailed in a research paper (here), authored by Whelton; PU graduate student Karen Casteloes; and MSU assistant professor Randi Brazeau. The study builds on previous work conducted by Whelton's university research team, which in January 2014 responded to the Elk River Chemical Spill in West Virginia (see "WV chemical spill shuts down capital city, water supplies"). Initially unfunded, his team was later supported by a National Science Foundation RAPID grant and was called in by the governor to assist the state.

"Flushing guidance issued during past incidents lacked one or more important considerations," Whelton said. "This resulted in some cases of illness. In the new study, we review these and other deficiencies, outline research needs, and describe which factors officials should consider in plumbing system decontamination."

Some of these factors include protecting building inhabitants from chemical exposure while flushing, avoiding damage to sanitary sewer and septic systems, as well as designing an approach that removes the entire volume of contaminated water from the service line, indoor plumbing pipes and water heater. The research addresses differences in flushing durations required depending on system designs and recommends additional research to answer a variety of remaining questions.

Research by Whelton's team is ongoing and includes work related to non-toxic plumbing system decontamination aids, chemical toxicity testing of the spilled chemicals and methods to predict indoor air contamination risks. Much of the research was inspired by his team's first-hand experience responding to the chemical spill caused by Freedom Industries Inc. in West Virginia. The Purdue researchers are also constructing a new building plumbing testing facility.

"This one-of-a-kind facility will enable us to recreate field conditions, test our models and decontamination technologies, and also identify problematic situations that render infrastructure unrecoverable," Whelton said. "We have several organizations interested in this capability and are actively seeking additional partners."

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 8월 11일]