Katherine Y. Bell

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Vice President at Brown and Caldwell

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are being studied in all environmental matrices because of their ubiquitous presence and adverse human health impacts. This study conducted a surveillance of 27 water resource recovery facilities throughout the United States and Canada to screen the range of PFAS concentrations in pre‐stabilized sludge and...

Animal manures, which are typically rich in lignocellulosic content, pose both significant environmental impacts and opportunities for renewable energy. Lignin is particularly resistant to anaerobic degradation. In this work, the effect of lignin accumulation on anaerobic biomass activity and its potential degradation by chemical post treatment was...

Harnessing solar energy offers a sustainable alternative for powering electrolysis for green hydrogen production as well as wastewater treatment. The high costs and logistical challenges of electrolysis have resulted in limited widespread investigation and implementation of electrochemical technologies on an industrial scale. To overcome these chal...

Harnessing solar energy offers a sustainable alternative for powering electrolysis for green hydrogen production as well as wastewater treatment. High costs and logistical challenges of electrolysis have limited widespread investigation and implementation of electrochemical technologies on an industrial scale. To overcome these challenges this stud...

Pyrolysis has been identified as a possible thermal treatment process for reducing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from wastewater solids, though off‐gas from the pyrolysis unit can still be a source of PFAS emissions. In this work, the fate of PFAS through a laboratory‐scale pyrolysis unit coupled with a thermal oxidizer for t...

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are refractory anthropogenic chemicals and current treatment processes at municipal water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) cannot efficiently degrade them, hence, these chemicals cycle through the environment. Certain PFAS can be concentrated in biosolids from WRRFs and are commonly land applied for be...

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an emerging issue in wastewater treatment. High‐temperature thermal processes, incineration being time‐tested, offer the opportunity to destroy and change the composition of PFAS. The fate of PFAS has been documented through wastewater sludge incinerators, including a multiple hearth furnace...

An observed decrease in total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations following wastewater disinfection with medium pressure (MP, polychromatic) ultraviolet (UV) irradiation during wet weather flows is investigated. When antecedent rainfall in the previous 7-days was >2 in (5 cm), TOC and DOC concentrations decreased...

Periods of drought coupled with increasing population growth have prompted increased interest in potable water reuse in Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA. However, such inland water recycling facilities are challenged with treatment approaches where reverse osmosis (RO) membrane concentrate disposal is a barrier to implementation of potable reuse. To e...

UV-C at 254 nm and vacuum UV (VUV) at 185 nm are the two major emission lines of a low-pressure mercury lamp. Upon absorption of VUV photons, water molecules and selected inorganic anions generates hydroxyl (HO.) and other redox radicals, both capable of degrading organic micropollutants (OMPs), thereby offering the opportunity to reduce H2O2 and e...

This study explored process synergies attainable by integrating a vacuum ultraviolet-based advanced oxidation process with biofiltration. A comparison using granular activated carbon or granular zeolite as filtration media were examined in context of advanced wastewater treatment for potable reuse. Six biofiltration columns, three with granular act...

The COVID‐19 pandemic impacted many dimensions of daily life; including how and where people used water. These changes have important implications for water management and utility planning. This study quantifies regional water demand changes across 75 utilities in Southeast Michigan throughout 2020. Deviations were not uniform, with both increases...

Wastewater treatment generates solids requiring subsequent processing. Costs and contaminant concerns (e.g., per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]) are challenging widely used landfilling and land application practices. These circumstances are partly driving the re‐emergence of pyrolysis and gasification technologies along with beneficial reus...

Solids from wastewater treatment undergo processing to reduce mass, minimize pathogens, and condition the products for specific end uses. However, costs and contaminant concerns (e.g., per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]) challenge traditional landfill and land application practices. Incineration can overcome these issues but has become comp...

Measuring the surrogate parameters total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon (TOC/DOC) is not adequate, alone, to reveal nuances in organic character for optimizing treatment in potable water reuse. Alternatively, analyzing each organic compound contributing to the surrogate measurement is not possible. As an additional analytical tool appl...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are compounds of emerging concern based on ubiquitous distribution and potential human health impacts. Whereas manufacturing plants and fire-training/suppression areas are recognized as primary sources of PFAS contamination of the environment, understanding the role of water treatment plants (WTPs) and wat...

Our knowledge of PFAS fate and transport in the urban water cycle between water treatment plants (WTPs) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is dependent upon analytical methodology. To conduct a mass balance of PFAS through these engineered systems, environmental analytical chemistry must be leveraged to quantify PFAS in the various media that...

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a recalcitrant group of chemicals and can be found throughout the environment. They often collect in wastewater systems with virtually no degradation prior to environmental discharge. Some PFAS partitions to solids captured in wastewater treatment which require further processing. Of all the commonly a...

The Neuse River, North Carolina, U.S., exemplifies a typical de facto potable reuse scenario, where drinking water sources are located downstream of treated wastewater effluent discharges. The study results imply that planned potable water reuse, whether in an indirect or direct potable reuse scenario, might provide better control over water qualit...

There are no federal regulations governing reuse in the U.S., but EPA has relied on guidelines to support reuse for decades. With increasing interest in providing more resilient water supplies, utilities are looking to potable reuse as an element of water supply plans. As a result, states have initiated efforts to develop regulatory approaches for...

Human pathogenic enteric viruses have been identified as important causative agents of gastroenteritis in humans from exposure to contaminated recreational waters and consumption of contaminated shellfish. Some previous work suggests that the current US EPA Ambient Water Quality Criteria (EPA, 2012), based on the fecal indicator bacteria Escherichi...

This literature review summarizes publications appearing in 2012 on water and wastewater research pertaining to chemical or biological emerging pollutants. Part I: Occurrence, Fate, and Transport (the companion to this review) includes discussion of occurrence of emerging pollutants, sources of emerging pollutants, fate and transport of emerging po...

The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department (CORPUD) has been examining a range of water reuse alternatives in order to reduce pressures on the City’s drinking water resources, including the concept of indirect and direct potable reuse (IPR and DPR). This paper focuses on how the City designed a baseline water quality study to evaluate the curr...

As new ultraviolet (UV) disinfection equipment systems are introduced to the wastewater market, there is a benefit to piloting these systems until an installation base is established that can demonstrate the successful implementation of these new systems. Piloting gives operations staff the opportunity for hands on interaction with UV equipment and...

The goal of this review is to summarize new research published in the field of emerging pollutants in the past year. For the purpose of the review, unregulated and relatively new compounds found in wastewater, drinking water, recycled water and the environment were considered. The review consists of two parts, with Part I focusing on the occurrence...

The need for more efficient use of water from all of its sources has become axiomatic. Wastewater is a valuable commodity that can be processed, and its components can be completely reused for a variety of purposes including as a source of highly treated water for human consumption. Indirect potable reuse implies that reclaimed water is returned to...

The goal of this review is to summarize new research published in the field of emerging pollutants in the past year. For the purpose of the review, unregulated and relatively new compounds found in wastewater, drinking water, recycled water and the environment were considered. The review consists of two parts, with Part I focusing on the occurrence...

With uncertainty regarding future requirements for chlorine gas and potential challenges with chlorinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), wastewater utilities are proactively evaluating options to replace chlorine with other disinfection alternatives. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection has gained in use, but there can be challenges with implementation;...

With uncertainty regarding the requirements for future use of chlorine gas because of safety concerns as well as potential future challenges associated with chlorinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), wastewater facilities are proactively looking for options to replace both gas and liquid chlorine with other disinfection alternatives. The recent i...

Peracetic acid (PAA) is a wastewater disinfection alternative that is gaining interest due to its ability to provide bacterial inactivation performance at costs competitive to mature technologies. In addition to potential cost savings, the ability to provide treatment for challenging effluent while meeting stringent disinfection by-products (DBP) l...

This literature review summarizes publications appearing in 2011 on water and wastewater research pertaining to chemical or biological emerging pollutants. Part I: Occurrence, Fate, and Transport (the companion to this review) includes discussion of occurrence of emerging pollutants, sources of emerging pollutants, fate and transport of emerging po...

This study demonstrates differences in sorptive capacity of volatile organic compound (VOC) trichloroethylene (TCE) onto natural organic matter (NOM) coated and uncoated mineral surfaces above and below the NOM glass transition temperature. TCE sorption isotherms for dry NOM-mineral systems below the NOM glass transition temperature (T(g)) demonstr...

Results from an experimental and modeling investigation of the influence of thermodynamic properties of highly purified natural organic matter (NOM) on observed equilibrium sorption/desorption behaviors of vapor phase trichloroethylene (TCE) is presented. Identification of glass transition (T(g)) behavior in Leonardite humic acid and Organosolv lig...

Excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM) can be used to characterize organic matter present in water samples. When excited, the intensity of fluorescence emitted can be used to generate a representation of organic matter makes it possible to localize fluorescence centers related to particular groups, which can ‘fingerprint’ a samp...

Total suspended solids (TSS) in wastewater effluent can have negative impacts on ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. This paper focuses on defining the role of TSS characteristics on the efficiency and efficacy of UV disinfection, and how to improve treated wastewater effluent TSS to optimize UV disinfection of wastewater effluent. Data from several dif...

Water and wastewater quality research and management pertaining to emerging pollutants, chemical or biological, for which discussion of occurrence surveys, fate and transport investigations, treatment processes, modeling, and/or toxicity/risk assessment appearing in the peerreviewed literature during 2010, are presented.

The volatility of energy prices, desire to improve sustainability, recently proposed legislation, and energy-efficiency project funding have created big opportunities to improve energy and operation efficiency at most water and wastewater facilities. One mechanism of developing these opportunities is through energy management planning. Focusing on...

Non-potable reuse applications of reclaimed water typically require conventional wastewater treatment technologies that are already widely practiced and readily available in many countries throughout the world. Higher level uses, such as irrigation of public-access lands or vegetables to be consumed without processing, require a higher level of tre...

This paper focuses on total suspended solids (TSS) in wastewater effluent, which can have two major negative impacts on ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. First, an increase in TSS may cause a decrease in the disinfection rate, especially at lower UV doses, and second, tailing of the dose-response curve can be attributed to suspended solids. While the...

The Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) has established a Continuing Sewer System Assessment Program (CSSAP) that provides a structure for evaluation of the current condition of the wastewater collection system and identifies actions that should be taken to improve the performance of the system. One element of the CSSAP is a pump station and force main...

Reports of water quality research and management pertaining to emerging pollutants, either chemical or biological, for which discussion of occurrence surveys, fate investigations, treatment methodologies, modeling, and/or toxicity/risk assessment appearing in the peer-reviewed literature during 2009, are presented.

Reports of water quality research and management pertaining to emerging pollutants, either chemical or biological, for which discussion of occurrence surveys, fate investigations, treatment methodologies, modeling,, and/or toxicity/risk assessment appearing in the peer-reviewed literature during 2008, are presented.

Arsenic leaching in aquifers has become a problem for aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) operations. The highly oxidative nature of finished water causes arsenic in naturally occurring .minerals to leach from aquifer formations. The authors evaluated the effects of lowering dissolved oxygen concentrations and removing chorine residual in injected p...

A new class of emerging contaminants of concern has been documented to be present in environmental samples (surface and ground waters) and within water and wastewater treatment plants. These include a number of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and recently were reported to be present potable water supplies. As more analytical meth...

The Kuwahee wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) comprehensive facility plan update included major recommendations to integrate sustainable components, with the goal of lowering energy consumption and life-cycle costs to offset rising energy costs and improve treatment operations. One of the primary recommendations was to replace the large multistage...

Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) has become a major component in numerous water supply initiatives, particularly in Florida. Despite the recent focus and reliance on ASR, there have been challenges due to undesirable water chemistry changes in the storage zone aquifer, specifically, arsenic dissolution and subsequent detection in recovered water...

The Copper Basin Mining District Site (Site) has been host to 150 years of copper mining, beneficiation and mineral processing, and sulfuric acid and other chemical production processes that have left a legacy of environmental degradation that has affected the Ocoee River. In order to improve the health of the Ocoee River, the US Environmental Prot...

Improved understanding of the structure of soil- and sediment-derived organic matter is critical to elucidating the mechanisms that control the reactivity and transport of contaminants in the environment. This work focuses on an experimental investigation of thermodynamic properties that are a function of the macromolecular structure of natural org...

Thesis (Ph. D. in Environmental Engineering)--Vanderbilt University, May 2004. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-232).