Lianna King
Novel approaches to metaldehyde removal from water using biological processes.
Email: l.c.king@ncl.ac.uk
Project supervisors
Project description
Agriculture uses pesticides to ensure that billions of people globally have food. Pesticides control pests such as snails and slugs, so they can't spoil the food. Water treatment processes remove pesticides to meet water quality consent limits. These limits are set down by regulators.
One pesticide is resistant to current treatment processes and is proving very difficult to remove. Metaldehyde is typically used as a molluscicide to kill slugs and snails. I will explore new approaches to removing metaldehyde from source waters using biological processes. Many UK water companies face this challenge. My research will make a massive contribution to safeguarding the quality of water in our taps. It will also be of benefit to science. It will identify the mechanisms by which biological processes interact with metaldehyde.
Publications
- Vignola M, Werner D, Hammes F, King LC, Davenport RJ. Flow-cytometric quantification of microbial cells on sand from water biofilters. Water Research 2018, 143, 66-76.
Interests
Water, engineering, research and development, STEM engagement.
Qualifications
MEng Honours Chemical Engineering with Sustainable Engineering