My name is Tanush Wadhawan and I was born in New Delhi, India. I have a diverse educational background, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biotechnology (2008) and Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental and Conservation Science (2010) from North Dakota State University (NDSU). I have worked with viability and biomass quantification of naturally and artificially immobilized bacteria. Currently, I am pursuing Ph.D in Civil Engineering at NDSU with an emphasis on Environmental Engineering. My project deals with understanding transport of Cryptosporidium oocysts in agricultural drainage system.
Role of Agricultural Drainage on Transport of Cryptosporidium oocysts in North Dakota
Fellow: Tanush Wadhawan, Civil Engineering Department, NDSU
Advisor: Eakalak Khan, Ph.D., Professor and Department Chair, Department of Civil Engineering, North Dakota State University.
Degree Progress:Ph.D.in Civil Engineering expected graduation in fall 2013.
Cryptosporidium is an infective protozoan which is one of the most important contaminants found in drinking water and is known to cause a parasitic gastrointestinal disease called cryptosporidiosis. Several outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis due to both groundwater and surface water contamination have been reported in North America. The use of manure for farm applications can be a major source of Cryptosporidium in the environment. Cryptosporidium in manure can infiltrate through soil and reach groundwater. Recent findings suggest Cryptosporidium in surface water comes from the overland runoff from the field. In this project, we propose an alternative route for Cryptosporidium contamination in surface water. Subsurface drain tiles are a network of subsurface drains that are used to enhance the drainage of agricultural land. We suspect these drains play a significant role in facilitating the transfer of Cryptosporidium from land to surface waters.
The main scope of this project is to investigate the role of agricultural drainage system on transport of Cryptosporidium in North Dakota. The specific objectives of this study are as follows:
Untill now preliminary experiments have been performed to understand the adsorption characteristics of the Cryptosporidium oocysts to the natural soil. Soil box studies have been set up and will be conducted in the near future.
The outcomes of the proposed project will greatly benefit North Dakota in identifying a possible source of cryptosporidiosis outbreaks in North Dakota. The data generated can be used for risk assessment and development of control practices which will benefit public health. For the first time, the potential impact of subsurface drainage systems on the transport of Cryptosporidium will be evaluated.
Professor and Department Chair, CivilEngineering Department, NDSU
Phone: (701) 231-7717
Co-Advisor: Dr. John M. McEvoy,
Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, NDSU