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Solutions
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Water analysis Conducting and evaluating physical-chemical and microbiological water testing in accordance with the German Drinking Water Ordinance and other relevant legal regulations.
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Testing of products and devices Initial testing of products and materials in contact with drinking water. Our Test Centre is accredited for more than 200 different product standards according to DIN EN ISO 17025. Test and develop UV technology.
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Treatment technologies Develop sustainable water supply concepts. Implement, monitor and optimise new technologies. Test and further develop existing treatment methods.
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Micropollutants and microorganisms Develop and improve the method of determination using cutting-edge equipment. Investigate the presence, behaviour and retention of inorganic and organic micropollutants in the water cycle and drinking water treatment.
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Network management and drinking water installation Microbiological quality change, deposit formation and cleaning and optimisation of the distribution network operation. Evaluate and analyse corrosion damage.
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Risk management Supporting water supply companies in risk management, based on our comprehensive expertise
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Drinking water catchments and resources Support for water supply companies to establish a Water Safety Plan. Benefit from our extensive expertise.
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Environmental biotechnology and contaminated sites Evaluation of the decomposition potential at contaminated locations. Development of sustainable ways to eliminate pollutants from the environment. Employ a combination of microbiological and technical methods.
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Digitalisation Water demand forecast, Evaluation of water quality and quantity data, Regression and classification models, Machine learning, AI, Databases, GIS-application
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Research
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Resource protection Protection of water resources, risk management in water catchment areas
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Environmental biotechnology Technical and biological methods for the elimination of microorganisms, microbiological degradation processes
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Microorganisms Developing and applying reliable and sensitive detection methods, evaluating disinfection and treatment measures
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Micropollutants Determination of micropollutants, transformation products and microplastics reliably and sensitively, investigate behaviour in the water cycle, qualified risk assessment
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Waste water and water cycle Use of biological decomposition, developing integrated water supply and waste water management concepts
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New technologies and products Testing and optimizing processes and products to treat, disinfect and post-process drinking water for efficiency, security and robustness
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Asset management and infrastructure Development of management strategies and innovative tools to evaluate the condition of the supply network and its components
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Safety and security, digitalisation and management Digital transformation in public drinking water supply, increase the safety and security of drinking water supply
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- Projects
- About TZW
- Information

Behaviour and identification of micropollutants and microorganisms
Findings on the behaviour of “new” or previously unknown micropollutants in aquatic systems and particularly in drinking water treatment are not generally available. However, they can be obtained via specific, practical laboratory trials with subsequent analysis. In particular, these tackle issues on how to remove substances using specific water treatment methods. As micropollutants can be transformed in natural degradation processes and in technical water treatment, clarifying their transformation products is a key component when assessing a treatment process. Similarly, we have cutting-edge methods to clarify microbiological contamination sources and to assess evidence of “new” microorganisms. We offer our customers solutions and concepts using analytical process engineering laboratory testing under practical conditions for support and the targeted testing of the latest issues relating to micropollutants, microorganisms and possible pathogens.
What do we offer?
Micropollutants
Simulation of aerobic bank filtration
To simulate biological decomposition processes during aerobic bank filtration, we dose surface water with an organic micropollutant at concentrations that reflect those in the environment. A test runs for 30 days, during which the water is continuously aerated and protected from daylight and is pumped into circulation over a porous material (sintered glass beads). This porous material is not adsorptive and provides the ideal conditions for microorganisms to develop a biofilm similar to that in an infiltration zone. Interpreting the obtained degradation curves together with the existing broad database of previously investigated micropollutants gives a good estimation of biological degradability.
Oxidative degradation during ozonation
Laboratory-scale ozonation trials offer a good simulation of the oxidising micropollutants in large-scale treatment. As required, treatments can be applied in a batch trial or using methods with direct ozone input. The generated transformation products can also be characterised using various downstream analytical methods, for example high-resolution mass spectrometry processes.
Ozonation coupled with bioactive or biosorptive treatment steps
Studies on transformation products following ozonation without the inclusion of a subsequent bioactive step do not give the full picture. For this reason we have continuous ozonation available to carry out combined lab-scale trials, which can be coupled, for instance, with bioactive slow sand or activated carbon filtration. This makes it possible to simulate oxidisation and biological decomposition together.
Adsorptive removal using activated carbon
In order to characterise substance behaviour in adsoptive processes filtration tests with granulated activated carbon can be performed in addition to adsorption isotherms. This also takes the kinetic effects of adsorption into account. A few days under standardised conditions gives practical information on how efficient it is to remove micropollutants using activated carbon.
Microorganisms
Assessment of microbiological findings (E. coli, coliform bacteria, enterococci) in drinking water and assessment of microbiological findings (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella) in drinking water installations
The majority of microbiological problems in drinking water installations are related to Legionella or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We advise our customers on practical problems, e.g. in hospitals, and help to assess and classify findings and to derive countermeasures.
Detection and evaluation of pathogens (e.g. Campylobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella)
Usually, drinking water is analysed for indicator bacteria. In various cases, it may also be useful to investigate pathogens – or the authorities may require this (e.g. testing for Pseudomonas aeruginosa following building work). We offer cultural and molecular biological testing for various pathogens and consultation when evaluating the evidence.
Identification and assessment of faecal contamination sources (microbial source tracking)
The implementation of efficient and cost-effective measures to improve the microbiological water quality in a catchment area requires the determination of the origin of the faecal contamination to be as precise as possible. However, the microbiological methods currently used for quality control provide no information on the origin of the contamination. We offer new molecular biological methods that make it possible to identify faecal contamination sources.
Detection and evaluation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes
The long-term and extensive use of antibiotics has not only encouraged the development and dispersion of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in the clinical field but also in the aquatic environment. For this reason, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes are the subject of increasing discussion as new parameters in the evaluation of hygienic water quality. A series of research projects has given us a wealth of experience on the detection of antibiotic resistance in the environment. We can also offer relevant testing and an assessment of the results for contract work.
Detection and evaluation of viruses
Human pathogenic viruses can be harmful to a person’s health even at very low concentrations because of their low infective dose. For this reason, WHO recommends the presence of human pathogenic viruses are also taken into account in raw water risk assessments. The rapid detection of these low but hygienically relevant virus concentrations presents a huge challenge to detection techniques. TZW’s on-going and completed research projects have provided extensive experience in the detection of viruses in the environment. Similarly, TZW advocates a continuous further development and validation of molecular biological methods to quickly detect viruses – also for use, for example, in disinfection processes.
Publications
Hügler, M., Petzoldt, H., Reitter, C., Hambsch, B.: Zunehmende Befunde von Enterokokken im Trinkwasser. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser [Increasing findings of enterococci in drinking water. Publications from TZW], Volume 85, p. 153-166 (2018)
Stange, C., Tiehm, A.: Neueste Erkenntnisse zu Antibiotikaresistenzen im Wasser. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe [Latest findings on antibiotic resistences in water. Publications from TZW Karlsruhe], Volume 85, p. 137-151 (2018)
Ho, J.: Mikrobiologische Lebend/tot-Unterscheidung Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser [Microbiological live/dead differentiation. Publications from TZW], Volume 81 (2018)
Hügler, M., Kannegießer, S., Hambsch, B.: Development and validation of cultural and molecular methods for the detection and quantification of Campylobacter in water samples. International Symposium on Health-Related Water Microbiology & UNC Water Microbiology Conference, May, 15 – 19, 2017, Chapel Hill, NC, USA (2017)
Stange, C., Tiehm, A.: Verhalten von Antibiotikaresistenzgenen bei der Trinkwasseraufbereitung. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe [Behaviour of antibiotic resistance genes in drinking water treatment. Publications from TZW Karlsruhe], Volume 76 (2017)
Hambsch, B., Hügler, M., Korth, A., Petzoldt, H.: Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Trinkwassersystemen - Wachstumsansprüche und nachhaltige Gegenmaßnahmen [Pseudomonas aeruginosa in drinking water systems – requirements for growth and sustainable countermeasures] . DVGW energie/wasser praxis 67, No.5, p. 98-106 (2016)
Hügler, M., Petzoldt, H., Korth, A.: Innovativer Ansatz zur Ursachenanalyse mikrobiologischer Belastungen. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe [Innovative approach for the cause analysis of microbiological pollution. Publications from TZW Karlsruhe]. volume 70, p. 45-57 (2015)
Hambsch, B., Hügler, M.: Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Trinkwasser-Installationen: Ursachenforschung und Gegenmaßnahmen [Pseudomonas aeruginosa in drinking water installations: root cause analysis and countermeasures]. Management & Krankenhaus kompakt, Hygiene, p. 17 (2015)
Stange, C., Tiehm, A.: Molekularbiologische Identifzierung fäkaler Eintragsquellen in einem Karsteinzugsgebiet. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe [Molecular biological identification of faecal contamination sources in a karst catchment area. Publications from TZW Karlsruhe], Volume 65, p. 35-50 (2014)
Stange, C., Tiehm, A.: Molekularbiologische Identifzierung fäkaler Eintragsquellen in einem Karsteinzugsgebiet. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe [Molecular biological identification of faecal contamination sources in a karst catchment area. Publications from TZW Karlsruhe], Volume 65, p. 35-50 (2014)
Hambsch, B.: Vorkommen und Nachweis von Mikroorganismen und Viren in Roh- und Trinkwässern [Presence and detection of microorganisms and viruses in raw and drinking water]. AWBR annual report 2011, 43:157-172 (2012)
Hügler, M., Hambsch, B.: Erfahrungsbericht zum Vorkommen von Legionellen in öffentlichen Gebäuden [Progress report on the presence of legionella in public buildings]. DVGW energie/wasser-praxis 62, No.12, p. 40-43 (2011)
Tiehm, A., Stoll, C., Langer, S., Schumacher, V., Binder, T., Rohns, H.-P.: Bedeutung von Antibiotikaresistenzen für die Rohwasserqualität: Vorkommen, Transport und natürliche Eliminationsprozesse. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser Karlsruhe [Significance of antibiotic resistance for raw water quality: presence, transport and natural elimination processes. Publications from TZW Karlsruhe], Volume 40 (2009)
Hambsch, B.: Ursachen des Auftretens coliformer Bakterien in Verteilungsnetzen. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser [Causes of coliform bacteria appearing in distribution networks. Publications from TZW], Volume 44, p. 43-52 (2009)
Fleischer, J., Hambsch, B.: Enteropathogene Viren in Rohwässern (Oberflächenwässer) und in der Wasseraufbereitung [Enteropathogenic viruses in raw water (surface water) and in water treatment]. DVGW energie/wasser-praxis 58 No. 4, p. 34-40 (2007)
Volumes from the TZW publication series can be purchased here.
Contact
Micropollutants


Microorganisms


Projects
Future of microbial risk assessment (Future QMR)
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Read moreMethod for microbiological water quality monitoring (MoVe)
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