2006 Graduate Catalog and 2005 Annual R & D Report - Sirindhorn ...

2006 Graduate Catalog and 2005 Annual R & D Report
Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT)
development. Monetary gain has dominated over
environmental quality and the sustainability of natural
resources. If a polluting factory yields a profit now, the
effect on generations is forgotten. All this is carried
out in the name of development and for the
betterment of the quality of life without foreseeing the
effect on the environment, which is the key
component for sustainable development. Thus, it is
necessary to analyze the existing situation and
suggest measures to minimize the impacts on the
environment and to conserve the finite natural
resources. Life cycle assessemnt can be used as one
of the tools to identify and assess the environmental
burdens of different products or system over the
entire period of its life.
Membrane Technology for Water Treatment
Membrane technology is an alternative to the long
established conventional treatment techniques for the
production of drinking water from various natural
resources and its application to water treatment
processes is now expanding rapidly due to stringent
regulations. Membrane processes are capable of
removing many materials from water that are typically
treated using unit processes ranging from sand
filtration to carbon adsorption to ion exchange. There
is plenty of scope to focus research work on
treatment of water by membranes and understanding
the fouling phenomenon leading to the development
of low-cost solutions to the drinking-water treatment
problems.
Dr. Suwanchai Nitisoravut
Associate Professor
Diploma (Honors) in Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry Training, Ministry of Science,
Technology, and Environment, Bangkok, Thailand
B.S. in Chemical Technology/Chemical Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
M.S. in Biosystem Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, USA
Ph.D. in Civil/Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, North Carolina, USA
Areas of Specialization: Environmental Biotechnology/Microbiology, Biological treatment of water and
wastewater.
Research Interests:
Biological Nitrogen Transformation Using the
ANAMMOX Process
The ANoxic AMMonium OXidation (ANAMMOX)
process involves the use of nitrite as an electron
acceptor in the bacterially mediated oxidation of
ammonia to yield di-nitrogen gas. The process allows
a nitrogen transformation similar to the classical
processes of nitrification followed by denitrification.
This reduces both oxygen demand in the nitrification
and additional organic carbon as chemical oxygen
demand (COD) in the denitrification phases. It is a
new and promising microbial process to remove
ammonia from wastewater characterized by a low
content of organic materials.
Assimilable Organic Carbon (AOC) and Regrowth
Potential in Drinking Water
During the last decade, research interest in drinking
water treatment has focused on the biodegradable
fraction of organic carbon in natural and treated
water. This interest stems from the recognition that
biodegradable organic matter in water can provide
growth support to microorganisms which can be
intensified during storage and travel within the
distribution systems. Such phenomenon is known as
biological regrowth and the fraction of biodegradable
organic carbon is commonly termed biodegradable
dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) or assimilable
organic carbon (AOC). Biological regrowth in
distribution systems has been known for years, as a
potential cause of corrosion in distribution lines and
deterioration of finished water quality, as well as an
indirect link to waterborne diseases. It has, however,
just come into attention, particularly for developed
countries, due to the unclear impact on human health.
Previous research has found that AOC can be
effectively removed in an immobilized cell bioreactor.
Cell-immobilization Technology for Waste
Treatment
It is generally known that microbial cells play an
important role in biological treatment. To further
enhance the process, the microbes can be
immobilized in polymeric material which will provide a
protective environment for the cells against toxic
substances. At the same time, the microbial
population can be intensified inside the carrier, thus
allowing immediate biological activity for waste
treatment. The technology has been proven feasible
and effective in treating wastes biologically under
severe conditions such as high toxic concentration
and starvation environments. Previous research
involving cell immobilization included the denitrification
of spent regenerant from ion exchange processes
and biodegradation of trace amounts of assimilable
organic carbon in drinking water. The technology is
believed to have a broad application which has yet to
be explored.
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