Dr. Aaron B. Margolin, Chair 
Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1986
Virology and Water Diseases
Incidence of waterborne disease (viral, bacteria or intestinal parasites) from the ingestion of fecally polluted water has continued to occur and presents new challengers in understanding the potential threat to human health. We are global society and hence, populations shift, demographics change and individuals travel to regions of the world foreign to their own surroundings. Development and use of tools for the detection of waterborne pathogens helps us evaluate the efficiency of water utilities in preventing the spread of disease as well as understanding the frequency and sources of contamination. The development of new techniques helps us evaluate emerging pathogens that previously would have been impossible to study. With these tools, our laboratory evaluates water, wastewater, sludge and biosolids on a regular basis for their regulatory compliance and their efficiency in pathogen reduction.
Students evaluate classical enteric pathogens as well as emerging pathogens for their susceptibility to inactivation by environmental factors and a variety of disinfectants. Hence, most student projects often involve the development of novice techniques for both the detection of emerging fecal-borne pathogens and for the validation of previously published data.
Our laboratory works closely with water utilities, engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency in designing studies that help predict the fate of pathogen removal or survival. Many projects begin at the bench level using both pathogens and indicator organisms and then proceed to the field where the use of surrogate organisms helps us understand the overall fate of waterborne pathogens.
Over the last 20 years I have also been the Science Advisor for the Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center of the FDA outside of Boston MA. Our primary focus over the last several years has been the detection of food borne pathogens and the development of methods to aid in the detection of adulterated food products.
Margolin, A.B. 2002. Control of Microorganisms in Source Water and Drinking Water. In: The Manual of Environmental Microbiology. ed. C. J. Hurst, American Society of Microbiology, Washington D.C. 277-284.
Ballester, N. A, J. H. Fontaine, A. B. Margolin. 2005. Occurrence and Correlations Between Coliphage, Anthropogenic Viruses, and Indicator Bacteria from the Massachusetts Bay Outfall in Boston Harbor Using Enrichment and Integrated Cell Culture PCR/ Nested PCR. J. Water Health 03:59-68
Sobsey, M. D., M.V. Yates, Fu-Chih Hsu, G. Lovelace, D. Battigelli, A. Margolin, S. D. Pillai, and N. Nwachuku. 2005. Development and Evaluation of Methods to Detect Coliphages in Large Volumes of Water. Water Science and Technology.
Gallagher , E. M. and A.B. Margolin. 2006. Frequency of Reovirus Detection in Biosolids: Comparison of the EPA CFR 503 Technique to Integrated Cell Culture - Real Time PCR. J. Virol. Meth. 139:195-202.
Abbazaddigan, M and A. B. Margolin 2006 Control of Microorganisms in Source Water and Drinking Water. In: The Manual of Environmental Microbiology. ed. C. J. Hurst, American Society of Microbiology, Washington D.C. 325-333.
Brabants, J.J. and A. B. Margolin. 2007. Inactivation of Adenovirus Type 5, Rotavirus Wa and Male Specific Bacteriophage During Class B Lime Stabilization. Int J Environ Res Public Health. Mar;4(1):61-70.
Bean, C.L., J. J. Brabants, G. Widmer, G. Batzer, H. Balkin, and A. B. Margolin. 2007. Class B Alkaline Stabilization to Achieve Pathogen Inactivation Int J Environ Res Public Health. Mar;4(1):53-60.
Katz, B.D. and A. B. Margolin. 2007. Inactivation of Hepatitis A HM-175/18f, Reovirus type 1and male specific bacteriophage During Alkaline Stabilization of Biosolids. (In Press)
