Mark D Sobsey
Biographic Data
| ID | 6062198 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Mark D Sobsey |
| GIVEN NAMES | Mark D |
| FAMILY NAME | Sobsey |
| SIGNATURE | SOBSEY M D |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8978-4996 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 10 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 8 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 10 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1978 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Spatially heterogeneous and neighborhood impacts of deep tubewells on childhood diarrhea in rural Bangladesh
Deep tubewells that procure groundwater from deep arsenic-free aquifers are crucial sources of safe drinking-water in rural Bangladesh. However, their health benefits may be heterogeneous and context dependent: inequitable distribution, long collection distances and continued use of unsafe alternatives may increase microbial contamination and diarrheal disease. We examined whether the association between household deep tubewell use and under-five…
Considering Alternate Pathways of Drinking-Water Contamination
Deep tubewells are a key component of arsenic mitigation programs in rural Bangladesh. Compared to widely prevalent shallow tubewells, deep tubewells reduce ground-water arsenic exposure and provide better microbial water quality at source. However, the benefits of clean drinking-water at these more distant sources may be abated by higher levels of microbial contamination at point-of-use. One such potential pathway is the use of contaminated surf…
Chitosan Coagulation to Improve Microbial and Turbidity Removal by Ceramic Water Filtration for Household Drinking Water Treatment
The use of porous ceramic filters is promoted globally for household water treatment, but these filters are ineffective in removing viruses from water. In order to increase virus removal, we combine a promising natural coagulant, chitosan, as a pretreatment for ceramic water filters (CWFs) and evaluate the performance of this dual barrier water treatment system. Chitosan is a non-toxic and biodegradable organic polymer derived by simple chemical …
Reduction of Acid-Fast and Non-Acid-Fast Bacteria by Point of Use Coagulation-Flocculation-Disinfection
Point of use (POU) household water treatment is increasingly being adopted as a solution for access to safe water. Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) are found in water, but there is little research on whether NTM survive POU treatment. Mycobacteria may be removed by multi-barrier treatment systems that combine processes such as coagulation, settling and disinfection. This work evaluated removal of a non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (Mycobaterium te…
Investigation of E. coli and Virus Reductions Using Replicate, Bench-Scale Biosand Filter Columns and Two Filter Media
The biosand filter (BSF) is an intermittently operated, household-scale slow sand filter for which little data are available on the effect of sand composition on treatment performance. Therefore, bench-scale columns were prepared according to the then-current (2006-2007) guidance on BSF design and run in parallel to conduct two microbial challenge experiments of eight-week duration. Triplicate columns were loaded with Accusand silica or crushed g…
Bacterial Contamination on Household Toys and Association with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Conditions in Honduras
There is growing evidence that household water treatment interventions improve microbiological water quality and reduce diarrheal disease risk. Few studies have examined, however, the impact of water treatment interventions on household-level hygiene and sanitation. This study examined the association of four water and sanitation conditions (access to latrines, improved sanitation, improved water and the plastic biosand filter) on the levels of t…
Evaluation of the Impact of the Plastic BioSand Filter on Health and Drinking Water Quality in Rural Tamale, Ghana
A randomized controlled trial of the plastic BioSand filter (BSF) was performed in rural communities in Tamale (Ghana) to assess reductions in diarrheal disease and improvements in household drinking water quality. Few studies of household water filters have been performed in this region, where high drinking water turbidity can be a challenge for other household water treatment technologies. During the study, the longitudinal prevalence ratio for…
The microbiologic quality of drinking water in North Carolina migrant labor camps
A two-year study of the microbiological quality of drinking water in 27 randomly selected North Carolina migrant labor camps yielded total and fecal coliform prevalences of 44 percent and 26 percent, respectively in 1988 and similar but higher prevalences in 1989. Preoccupancy testing by county sanitarians had found virtually no total coliform contamination. These findings suggest that a potential source of contamination existed and that current …
Dr. Sobsey Responds
Dr. Sobsey Responds Mark D. Sobsey CopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.69.4.390 Published Online: October 07, 2011
Field survey of enteric viruses in solid waste landfill leachates
Because municipal solid waste may contain fecal material from a variety of sources, there is concern that the leachate discharged from some solid waste landfills may contain enteric pathogens, including enteric viruses. In this study, 22 leachate samples from 21 different landfills in the United States and Canada were examined for enteric viruses. The sites represented a broad range of conditions for solid waste landfills and the leachate samples…
The microbiologic quality of drinking water in North Carolina migrant labor camps
A two-year study of the microbiological quality of drinking water in 27 randomly selected North Carolina migrant labor camps yielded total and fecal coliform prevalences of 44 percent and 26 percent, respectively in 1988 and similar but higher prevalences in 1989. Preoccupancy testing by county sanitarians had found virtually no total coliform contamination. These findings suggest that a potential source of contamination existed and that current …
Field survey of enteric viruses in solid waste landfill leachates
Because municipal solid waste may contain fecal material from a variety of sources, there is concern that the leachate discharged from some solid waste landfills may contain enteric pathogens, including enteric viruses. In this study, 22 leachate samples from 21 different landfills in the United States and Canada were examined for enteric viruses. The sites represented a broad range of conditions for solid waste landfills and the leachate samples…
Field survey of enteric viruses in solid waste landfill leachates
Because municipal solid waste may contain fecal material from a variety of sources, there is concern that the leachate discharged from some solid waste landfills may contain enteric pathogens, including enteric viruses. In this study, 22 leachate samples from 21 different landfills in the United States and Canada were examined for enteric viruses. The sites represented a broad range of conditions for solid waste landfills and the leachate samples…
Dr. Sobsey Responds
Dr. Sobsey Responds Mark D. Sobsey CopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.69.4.390 Published Online: October 07, 2011
The microbiologic quality of drinking water in North Carolina migrant labor camps
A two-year study of the microbiological quality of drinking water in 27 randomly selected North Carolina migrant labor camps yielded total and fecal coliform prevalences of 44 percent and 26 percent, respectively in 1988 and similar but higher prevalences in 1989. Preoccupancy testing by county sanitarians had found virtually no total coliform contamination. These findings suggest that a potential source of contamination existed and that current …
Evaluation of the Impact of the Plastic BioSand Filter on Health and Drinking Water Quality in Rural Tamale, Ghana
A randomized controlled trial of the plastic BioSand filter (BSF) was performed in rural communities in Tamale (Ghana) to assess reductions in diarrheal disease and improvements in household drinking water quality. Few studies of household water filters have been performed in this region, where high drinking water turbidity can be a challenge for other household water treatment technologies. During the study, the longitudinal prevalence ratio for…
Bacterial Contamination on Household Toys and Association with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Conditions in Honduras
There is growing evidence that household water treatment interventions improve microbiological water quality and reduce diarrheal disease risk. Few studies have examined, however, the impact of water treatment interventions on household-level hygiene and sanitation. This study examined the association of four water and sanitation conditions (access to latrines, improved sanitation, improved water and the plastic biosand filter) on the levels of t…
Reduction of Acid-Fast and Non-Acid-Fast Bacteria by Point of Use Coagulation-Flocculation-Disinfection
Point of use (POU) household water treatment is increasingly being adopted as a solution for access to safe water. Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) are found in water, but there is little research on whether NTM survive POU treatment. Mycobacteria may be removed by multi-barrier treatment systems that combine processes such as coagulation, settling and disinfection. This work evaluated removal of a non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (Mycobaterium te…
Investigation of E. coli and Virus Reductions Using Replicate, Bench-Scale Biosand Filter Columns and Two Filter Media
The biosand filter (BSF) is an intermittently operated, household-scale slow sand filter for which little data are available on the effect of sand composition on treatment performance. Therefore, bench-scale columns were prepared according to the then-current (2006-2007) guidance on BSF design and run in parallel to conduct two microbial challenge experiments of eight-week duration. Triplicate columns were loaded with Accusand silica or crushed g…
Chitosan Coagulation to Improve Microbial and Turbidity Removal by Ceramic Water Filtration for Household Drinking Water Treatment
The use of porous ceramic filters is promoted globally for household water treatment, but these filters are ineffective in removing viruses from water. In order to increase virus removal, we combine a promising natural coagulant, chitosan, as a pretreatment for ceramic water filters (CWFs) and evaluate the performance of this dual barrier water treatment system. Chitosan is a non-toxic and biodegradable organic polymer derived by simple chemical …
Considering Alternate Pathways of Drinking-Water Contamination
Deep tubewells are a key component of arsenic mitigation programs in rural Bangladesh. Compared to widely prevalent shallow tubewells, deep tubewells reduce ground-water arsenic exposure and provide better microbial water quality at source. However, the benefits of clean drinking-water at these more distant sources may be abated by higher levels of microbial contamination at point-of-use. One such potential pathway is the use of contaminated surf…
Spatially heterogeneous and neighborhood impacts of deep tubewells on childhood diarrhea in rural Bangladesh
Deep tubewells that procure groundwater from deep arsenic-free aquifers are crucial sources of safe drinking-water in rural Bangladesh. However, their health benefits may be heterogeneous and context dependent: inequitable distribution, long collection distances and continued use of unsafe alternatives may increase microbial contamination and diarrheal disease. We examined whether the association between household deep tubewell use and under-five…
Medicine (8 works) · Biology (6 works) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (6 works) · Environmental health (6 works) · Environmental Science (6 works) · Fecal contamination and water quality (6 works) · Chemistry (5 works) · Ecology (5 works) · Contamination (4 works) · Environmental Engineering (4 works)