During the COVID-19 pandemic, national research studies observed water quality degradation within the stagnant plumbing of buildings that were shutdown or had reduced-occupancy due to stay-at-home orders. However, it is difficult to make generalizations from the results of these studies due to unknown variables and varied water quality responses associated with real-life buildings and their diverse plumbing infrastructure (e.g., pipe material, disinfectant type). Even outside of the pandemic, drinking water within the plumbing of buildings and homes can often undergo periods of extended stagnation such as from vacations, property sales, and evacuation measures. Guidance for maintaining plumbing during these periods is lacking, and more controlled studies are needed. At Purdue University, the Proctor Lab is utilizing four identical large-scale plumbing systems to investigate both the chemical and microbial quality of building water impacted by stagnation, water usage, and restorative flushing protocols. This research will contribute to current building management guidance, bolstering the health and safety of building occupants. 

More information will be available soon.

Drinking Water · Premise Plumbing · Microbial Ecology · Biofilms · Opportunistic Pathogens · Water Quality · Public Health

Landfill leachate presents a potentially interesting resource for resource recovery, including both nutrients and metals. We are working on understanding this potential, and learning how the microbiome can be manipulated to further increase this potential. By recovering resources from this waste stream and reusing it, we can contribute to the sustainability of waste.

Student Lead: Jorge Martinez Del'Angel

More information will be available soon.

Landfill Leachate · Waste Management · Environmental Microbiology · Environmental Contaminants · Microbial Ecology · Environmental Engineering · Sustainability · Metal Recycling

The microbiome of hydroponic systems present an excellent opportunity for engineering the microbiome. When pathogens enter these systems, they can greatly impact plant health as they recirculate. We are interested in understanding the sources, development, and potential control mechanisms for the microbiome in these systems, including developing methods for biofilm monitoring. 

More information will be available soon.

Hydroponics · Plant Microbiomes · Agricultural Microbiology · Water Quality · Food Safety · Controlled Environment Agriculture · Sustainability

Microplastics - tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastics or direct use in consumer products are emerging contaminants of concern for both environmental and human health. In the Proctor Lab, this work explores how microplastics interact with microbial communities and biofilms within plumbing systems, and how these interactions may influence water quality.

The goal of this research is to provide insights into the sources, behavior, and risks of microplastics in built water environments, and to contribute toward developing strategies for reducing their presence in drinking water.

More information will be available soon.

Student Lead: Addrita Haque

Microplastics · Emerging Contaminants · Drinking Water · Biofilms · Microbial Ecology · Environmental Health

Biofilms naturally form within drinking water plumbing systems and influence water quality and the persistence of opportunistic pathogens. This project investigates how microbial community composition affects biofilm formation, stability, and resistance to invasion.

Using environmental bacteria isolated from drinking water systems, we construct synthetic microbial communities to study how biofilms respond to invading microorganisms under controlled laboratory conditions. By combining microbiology, molecular techniques, and microscopy, this research aims to identify ecological principles that can be applied to develop safer and more resilient drinking water systems.

Ultimately, this work will support microbiome-based strategies to reduce pathogen establishment and improve public health through more resilient building water systems.

More information will be available soon.

Student Lead: Erick J. Negrón-Álvarez

Microbial Ecology · Biofilms · Community Assembly · Microbial Invasion · Drinking Water · Premise Plumbing · System Resilience · Opportunistic Pathogens