Research Topics
Because of increasing demands for water, we are required to use water resources more efficiently. The other hand, urban activity is increasing pollution and diversity of contaminants in water sources.
In our laboratory, reseaches intended to create better water environment and realization of stable supply of water, by analyzing the mechanisms of water pollution, development of novel water treatment technologies, and proposal of appropreate water quality indexes.
Water treatment technologies
Practical use of appropriate water treatment technologies are necessary to maintain safe water and quality water environment. In order to do so, our lab is currently developing new water treatment technologies using membrane filtration or UV-LEDs.
Health-Related Water Microorganisms in Water Cycle
Protozoa, bacteria, and viruses can cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, making appropriate removal and inactivation through water treatment essential. Moreover, establishing a reliable testing method is crucial for assuring the safety of water.
Our laboratory is developing detection technologies for microorganisms in water. In addition, we elucidate the mechanisms by which health-related microorganisms are inactivated during water treatment, utilizing cutting-edge molecular biology techniques, including reverse genetics approaches.
Examples
- Inactivation mechansims of waterborne viruses by disinfectants as revealed by reverse genetics (2024)
- Rapid and sensitive method to detect health-related water microorganisms
Urban water systems in Asia
Working on analysis of issues on water supply, as well as development of new technologies to improve water quality, and the ideal method of water systems management and water supply in Asian cities, where water shortage is a serious issue due to source water pollution and delay in source development.
Planning and management of urban water systems
Rethinking about urban water systems planning and management from the economic point of view, in order to efficiently and practically use the limited budget, improve its reliability and build a resillient system.
Effects on urban water systems from climate change
Changes in the amount and the quality of water resources from climate change may cause significant effects to the urban water systems. Therefore, we are currently evaluating the issues climate change will cause in the future and examining the possible adaptation measures in the research projects.