An Unquenchable Thirst for Knowledge [2/2] – A Discussion with LuminUltra’s Pat Whalen
As LuminUltra marks its fifteenth year in business, we asked our President & CEO Pat Whalen to share his thoughts on the evolution of the company. Here are some highlights of the second part of our conversation with him. Are you seeing new direct competitors to LuminUltra’s products? Similar to there being a… Read More
Hidden in Plain Sight – Nitrifying Bacteria in Monochlorinated Distribution Systems
If you are using heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) to identify nitrifying bacteria – you won’t find them. As it mentions in the name, HPCs only measure heterotrophic bacteria. These organisms feed off organic carbon compounds like fats, carbohydrates, and proteins while autotrophic bacteria produce their own food from basic energy sources like sunlight or… Read More
Most Wanted Microbes: Cryptosporidium
From the editor: This is the sixth post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some that are beneficial, inhibitory and pathogenic. Cryptosporidium, commonly known as Crypto, is a cyst-forming parasite commonly associated with the faecal… Read More
An Unquenchable Thirst for Knowledge [1/2] – A Discussion with LuminUltra’s Pat Whalen
As LuminUltra marks its fifteenth year in business, we asked our President & CEO Pat Whalen to share his thoughts on the evolution of the company. Here are some highlights of our conversation. What are some of the things that stand out for you personally as you reflect on the past 15 years?… Read More
The Cape Town Water Crisis: Potential Novel Solutions
The water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa has drawn worldwide attention to the region’s ongoing struggles with drinking water availability and, internationally, to diminishing water supplies and the importance of water management and conservation. A prolonged drought in Cape Town forced local authorities to institute drastic water saving measures in an effort to… Read More
Who Turned up the Heat? What You Need to Know about Biofilms and Heat Transfer.
Whether you work at an oil refinery, power plant, or in an office building, chances are you owe your comfort to a cooling tower. These engineering marvels are responsible for keeping your process fluids cool, turbines spinning, and even your work environment comfortable by transferring heat from water to air. Of course, where there… Read More
Most Wanted Microbes – Legionella
From the editor: This is the fifth post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some that are beneficial, inhibitory and pathogenic. Legionella is a mesophilic, pathogenic organism that can cause Legionnaire’s Disease, a potentially fatal… Read More
Most Wanted Microbes – Nitrifiers (a.k.a. Nitrosomonas)
From the editor: This is the fourth post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some that are beneficial, inhibitory and pathogenic. Nitrification is a two-part process whereby ammonia is converted to nitrate. The first step… Read More
Test your water know-how
Everyone loves quizzes, right? Right. So, in honour of our 15th anniversary here at LuminUltra, here are 15 questions that’ll let you test just how much you know about water. 1. What’s the average pH level of fresh water? a) 3 b) 5 c) 7 d) 9 2. What percentage of the Earth’s… Read More
Most Wanted Microbes – Sulfate Reducing Prokaryotes
From the editor: This is the third post in an ongoing series profiling microorganisms of particular significance in water and wastewater systems. In this series we will cover microorganisms of many types including some that are beneficial, inhibitory and pathogenic. Sulfate Reducing Prokaryotes (SRP) are a class of microorganisms that reduce inorganic sulfur-containing compounds… Read More