Although food supply in the United States is one of the safest in the world, there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness and an estimated death toll of 3,000 each year due to food contamination by disease-causing bacteria (e.g., Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) or pathogens. It is estimated that agricultural water is the most important route of contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established microbiological water quality criteria for irrigation and other farm uses (e.g., washing hands and produce). These criteria are based on the presence of generic E. coli as indicators of the presence of fecal contamination. Similarly, disinfection and ammonia removal are two major challenges in water reuse and recycling in aquaculture and aquaponics systems, where water reuse is crucial in order to reduce water consumption and improve nutrient recycling. Therefore, energy-efficient, modular, and scalable systems that can achieve disinfection and ammonia removal are of particular importance. Remote farms in particular require a system that can be integrated with renewable, off-grid energy supply.
展开▼
