Login

 


Plenary Lecture

Importance of Biological Parameters of Water Quality to Reform WQI in Practice

Associate Professor Ramani Bai Varadharajan
Department of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engg.
University of Nottingham (M) Campus
Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail: ramani-bai.v@nottingham.edu.my

Abstract: Good quality of water to drink or for meeting any demand is expensive these days. An economical and a sustainable method of water treatment has not yet achieved in our water history. Water specialists and water/water related companies are trying hard on technologies from macro to nano methods but end up with some limitations and some compromises. Studies have showed that microbiological pollutants are the significant contaminants for the water-related diseases and researches have been carried out to assess the efficiency of water treatment plant to remove microbiological pollutants from the raw water. Globally use of chlorine-based process to disinfection is the most successful and common in treatment process. Studies showed that in Malaysia as well chlorination process is the best method to produce “microbiologically safe” water until water problem arises in year 2009. Total Coliform violations in the complied chlorine treated water possess problem within the water treatment plant located in Selangor. There is an urgent need to investigate on this problem as the systems continue to deteriorate in recent years. In view of this, properly planned and interdisciplinary studies are being conducted on the causes and sources of total Coliform-positive occurrences in the water treatment systems. The current WQI to ascribe water quality are mostly physio-chemical based, without consideration for biological specifically microbial based indicators. The objective of the paper is to present the approach of redesigning WQI using neural network and fuzzy logic systems. The model could be packaged into a software and further to construct hardware (Water analyser), a hand held unit to test the status of quality of water on- site, for every hour and for any time scale. These methods have been successfully used in many fields of studies including water and water related research. Thus the risk of choosing macro to nanotechnologies to treat the water could be made appropriate by this invention of new software and hardware.

Brief Biography of the Speaker: For being a Ph.D. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in Dec 2004 and M.E in Water Resources Engineering and Management from Regional Engineering College, Trichy in Dec 1995, she has proved her exceptional calibre and outstanding performance in her chosen area of activity. Presently she is employed as Associate Professor in Civil Engineering Department of University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. She has completed her service as Lecturer in University of Malaya in Malaysia for three years and various other Universities in India. Overall she has 19 years of significant service in the field of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering in various positions as academician, project leader (sponsored projects), researcher, engineering consultant, academic fellow, dissertation examiner, senior tutor, international project reviewer, referred journal reviewer, external examiner and resource person of one-day, two-day seminars. Her specialized areas of study and career are in Water resources systems, Hydrology, Water quality and water treatment, environment, Optimization, Computer modelling, Artificial Intelligence methods such as Fuzzy logic, Artificial Neural Networks and Neuro-fuzzy logic systems, image processing, Geographical Information systems.
She has 22 National conference papers, 53 International conference papers, 5 national journals, 8 international journals and 6 book volumes published. She has participated in 45 seminars, 20 workshops and organized 8 Seminars and workshops. Further she has 4 Patents pending and 1 copyright. Her name has been included in the International Who’s Who of the professionals 2011 Edition of United States of America. She has won 10 awards (1 Double-Gold, 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 bronze medals) in her field of specialization especially in Water and Environmental Engineering. Recently she has been awarded the “Best Citizens of India Award”, by International Friendship Society, New Delhi in India in lieu of the yeoman services rendered with excellence in the chosen field of activity.

Bulletin Board

Currently:

The Conference Program is online.

The Conference Guide is online.

The paper submission deadline has expired. Please choose a future conference to submit your paper.


WSEAS Main Site


NAUN Main Site

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement