Development of Low-Energy Antimicrobial Water Treatment Platforms for Decentralised Healthcare Infrastructure

This project aims to develop a low-energy, antimicrobial water treatment platform specifically designed for decentralised healthcare infrastructure in remote and resource-limited environments. A key innovation is the integration of advanced antimicrobial materials into system components to suppress biofilm formation and reduce microbial load. The project will employ bacterial community profiling (16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomics) to characterise microbial populations before and after treatment, enabling assessment of disinfection efficacy, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reduction, and shifts in microbial ecology.

System design will focus on passive or solar-powered operation, modular scalability, and field-deployable robustness. Laboratory and simulated field trials will evaluate removal efficiency, antimicrobial activity, and system fouling over time. The project, in collaboration with Mii Group Pty Ltd, will support translation into real-world applications, providing practical solutions to critical water security and public health challenges in remote clinical settings while training the next generation of interdisciplinary environmental-health engineers.