Making waves: Applying systems biology principles in water distribution systems engineering

Gopinathan R. Abhijith, Avi Ostfeld

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The complexity of modeling water quality variations in water distribution systems (WDS), studied for decades, stems from multiple constraints and variables involved and the complexity of the system behavior. The conventional macroscale-based WDS water quality models are founded on continuum mechanics. In attempts to provide a broad picture of the multi-species interactions, these models overlook the stochasticity corresponding to the reaction mechanisms within the WDS domain. Furthermore, owing to the black-box type modeling adopted in simulating the multi-species interactions, the existing state-of-the-art models have limitations in representing intermediates and/or by-products formation. Accordingly, they remain ineffective in describing the water chemistry-stoichiometric interactions within the WDS domain. Only a radically new modeling approach could overcome the limitations of the macroscale-based approaches and enables analyzing the stochastic WDS mechanisms by keeping the true nature of the system behavior. Stimulated by the metabolic network modeling principles in systems biology, this article outlines the prospect of developing an innovative 'water'bolic network modeling approach to provide a new outlook to the existing WDS water quality modeling research.

Original languageEnglish
Article number118527
JournalWater Research
Volume219
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 2022

Keywords

  • Flux balance analysis
  • Metabolic network modeling
  • Microscale-based model
  • Systems biology
  • Water distribution
  • Water quality

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Ecological Modelling
  • Water Science and Technology
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Pollution

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