The research is supported by multidisciplinary team of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students from Acadia and other universities. If you are interested in working on Dr. Rand’s research team, please feel free to contact her by email.
Water Treatment
A primary focus of Dr. Rand’s research is the evaluation and treatment of drinking water and wastewater, particularly in small-scale, rural systems. Projects throughout North America have involved investigating alternative disinfection strategies and determining synergistic effects when pairing disinfectants in sequence for control of microbial pathogens, and monitoring water quality and developing treatment strategies in water systems for biofilm formation, corrosion products, disinfection byproducts, oxygen demand, and excess nutrients.
Environmental Surveillance
Wastewater-based surveillance is a rapidly developing science that can be used to observe a large population of people, capturing an overall picture of the community’s health in practical real-time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an exceptional amount of research accelerated advancements in this area related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In collaboration with industry and researchers at other Nova Scotian universities, Dr. Rand’s lab conducted environmental surveillance of both community wastewater and high-touch surfaces on campus for SARS-CoV-2. The research hopes to identify best practices for environmental surveillance such that it may be used as an advanced warning system for disease outbreaks.
Agricultural Water
Food safety is a primary concern during post-harvest washing of fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables are consumed raw, and agricultural wash water must meet potable water standards, while best practices to reduce contamination during irrigation are key. Dr. Rand’s research has focused on evaluating water quality in irrigation systems and wash processes and investigating disinfection strategies to minimize microbial pathogens in agricultural water.