Dr Katherine Fish (she/her)
MSc, PhD
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Research Fellow in Water Systems Microbiology
k.fish@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5732
+44 114 222 5732
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Full contact details
Dr Katherine Fish
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
-
I am an applied environmental microbiologist with inter-disciplinary research interests regarding understanding the microbial ecology of natural and engineered environments, particularly with respect to microbial biofilms.
My PhD used the full-scale drinking water distribution system test facility at Sheffield to investigate the impact of hydraulic patterns on the physical and community structure of drinking water biofilms and their discolouration response.
Since then, I have worked on industry and research council funded projects, specialising in investigating the interactions between environmental microbial ecology, drinking water distribution systems and water quality.
Specifically, I am interested in understanding how microbial management approaches impact biofilms and, in turn, how biofilms respond to these practices, predominantly (but not exclusively) in aquatic systems.
My current research involves collaborative projects which incorporate (micro)biological, physical and chemical analyses to explore the influence of management approaches, such as disinfection concentration, on biofilm physical (EPS and cells) and community structure (using molecular analysis), with consideration of impacts on public health and water quality.
- Qualifications
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- PhD in Civil and Structural Engineering, December 2013. The University of Sheffield. Thesis entitled "The impact of hydraulic regime upon biofilms in drinking water distribution systems".
- Masters in Biological Science, First Class (hons), 2009. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield.
- Research interests
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- Applied environmental microbiology
- Biofilm formation and mobilisation/stability
- Biofilm management
- Drinking water quality
- Microbial ecology
Current Projects
- “Managing Aquatic Biofilms via Surface Manipulation” – a collaborative project working with AkzoNobel and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (funded by the National Biofilm Innovation Centre , BBSRC)
- “Biomonitoring” (with South Staffs Water)
- “Disinfection and discolouration” (with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water)
Associated Research
- Publications
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Journal articles
- Emerging investigator series: optimisation of drinking water biofilm cell detachment and sample homogenisation methods for rapid quantification via flow cytometry. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. View this article in WRRO
- Microplastics in aquatic environments – a review of recent advances. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science. View this article in WRRO
- Impacts of temperature and hydraulic regime on discolouration and biofilm fouling in drinking water distribution systems. Plos Water, 1(8). View this article in WRRO
- Non-invasive biofouling monitoring to assess drinking water distribution system performance. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12. View this article in WRRO
- Assimilable organic carbon cycling within drinking water distribution systems. Water Research, 198. View this article in WRRO
- Uncharted waters: the unintended impacts of residual chlorine on water quality and biofilms. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 6.
- Effects of phosphate and hydrogen peroxide on the performance of a biological activated carbon filter for enhanced biofiltration. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 388.
- Drinking water temperature around the globe : understanding, policies, challenges and opportunities. Water, 12(4). View this article in WRRO
- Application of enhanced assimilable organic carbon method across operational drinking water systems. PLOS ONE, 14(12).
- Understanding microbial ecology to improve management of drinking water distribution systems. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, 6(1). View this article in WRRO
- Biofilm microbiome (re)growth dynamics in drinking water distribution systems are impacted by chlorine concentration. Frontiers in Microbiology. View this article in WRRO
- Succession of bacterial and fungal communities within biofilms of a chlorinated drinking water distribution system. Water Research, 141, 74-85. View this article in WRRO
- Biofilm structures (EPS and bacterial communities) in drinking water distribution systems are conditioned by hydraulics and influence discolouration. Science of the Total Environment, 593-4, 571-580. View this article in WRRO
- Linking discolouration modelling and biofilm behaviour within drinking water distribution systems. Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, 16(4), 942-950. View this article in WRRO
- Characterising and understanding the impact of microbial biofilms and the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix in drinking water distribution systems. Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2(4), 614-630.
- Characterisation of the Physical Composition and Microbial Community Structure of Biofilms within a Model Full-Scale Drinking Water Distribution System. PLOS ONE, 10(2), e0115824-e0115824.
- Methodological approaches for studying the microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems. Water Research, 65, 134-156. View this article in WRRO
Conference proceedings papers
- Residual-chlorine concentration impacts the ecology of biofilms in drinking water pipes and their water quality response
- Drinking Water Biofilm Management and Monitoring
- Development of assimilable organic carbon assay and field application within drinking water treatment. 1st International WDSA / CCWI 2018 Joint Conference
- The impact of chlorine concentration on the discolouration response of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems. 1st International WDSA / CCWI 2018 Joint Conference
- The structure and stability of drinking water biofilms. 14th Water Distribution Systems Analysis Conference 2012, WDSA 2012, Vol. 1 (pp 455-467)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa Interactions with Drinking Water Biofilm after an Acute Spike in Annular Bioreactors—Attachment, Persistence, Release, and Reattachment. The 3rd International Joint Conference on Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control for the Water Industry (WDSA/CCWI 2024), Vol. 50 (pp 148-148)
- Modelling the Dynamics of P. aeruginosa in the Formation of Biofilms. The 3rd International Joint Conference on Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control for the Water Industry (WDSA/CCWI 2024), Vol. 261 (pp 141-141)
- Regrowth of Microorganisms from Treatment to Tap in Operational Drinking Water Supply Networks. The 3rd International Joint Conference on Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control for the Water Industry (WDSA/CCWI 2024), Vol. 170 (pp 136-136)
- Incorporation and Mobilisation of Health-Related Organisms from within Drinking Water Biofilm. The 3rd International Joint Conference on Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control for the Water Industry (WDSA/CCWI 2024), Vol. 214 (pp 115-115)
- The Impacts of Chlorine and Chloramine on Biofilms and Discolouration in Operational Drinking Water Distribution Systems. The 3rd International Joint Conference on Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control for the Water Industry (WDSA/CCWI 2024), Vol. 2 (pp 2-2)
- Disinfection Residual Behaviour within Drinking Water Distribution Systems. Proceedings - 2nd International Join Conference on Water Distribution System Analysis (WDSA)& Computing and Control in the Water Industry (CCWI), 18 July 2022 - 22 July 2022.
- Emerging investigator series: optimisation of drinking water biofilm cell detachment and sample homogenisation methods for rapid quantification via flow cytometry. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. View this article in WRRO
- Research group
- Grants