As urban populations grow and environmental pressures intensify, the gap between wastewater discharge and drinking water sources continues to narrow. At the University of Waterloo, the Arlos Research Lab is working to better understand—and ultimately mitigate—the movement of micropollutants, which are toxic substances commonly found in pharmaceuticals and personal care products, through urban water systems.
Led by environmental engineer Maricor Arlos, PhD, the lab brings together advanced analytical instrumentation and interdisciplinary collaboration to address this challenge. For lab managers, the work underscores the growing importance of high-sensitivity analytical tools in detecting trace contaminants that can impact both human and environmental health—an ongoing challenge in environmental testing, as highlighted in water analysis challenges in laboratories.
Working with partners such as the City of Calgary, the research team tracks contaminants across water, sediment, and aquatic organisms. By integrating these datasets, the lab supports evidence-based environmental policy and informs the development of more sustainable wastewater treatment strategies.
Leveraging advanced analytical instrumentation for contaminant tracking
Detecting micropollutants requires the ability to measure substances at extremely low concentrations across complex environmental matrices. The Arlos Research Lab relies on sophisticated instrumentation, including systems funded through NSERC’s Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) program, to generate high-resolution data on contaminant behavior.
PhD student Sarah Delanty and the research team use these tools to map how pollutants move through ecosystems over time. This level of analytical precision is essential for understanding exposure pathways and identifying points of intervention.
Arlos notes that “technological innovation that bridges societal needs with environmental realities is critical.” For laboratory managers, this reinforces the need for rigorous quality control and method validation to ensure that analytical data can reliably inform municipal water safety decisions.
Developing sustainable wastewater treatment technologies
Beyond detection, the lab’s work focuses on translating data into actionable solutions. By characterizing how micropollutants behave in real-world conditions, the team contributes to the design of more effective treatment processes.
These insights can help:
- Support the development of stronger environmental policies
- Improve the efficiency of existing wastewater treatment systems
- Reduce the impact of toxic substances on aquatic ecosystems
For lab managers, this highlights how analytical data not only supports compliance but also drives innovation in sustainable infrastructure and process optimization.
Bridging technical excellence and community engagement
A defining feature of the Arlos Research Lab is its integration of scientific research with community and cultural engagement. The team recently hosted a workshop that brought together academic researchers, government stakeholders, and non-profit organizations, alongside a water ceremony led by Indigenous knowledge keeper Sarah Connors.
This approach broadens the scope of water quality work beyond technical solutions alone, ensuring that strategies are both scientifically sound and socially grounded.
Building on this emphasis on community engagement, Arlos returned to the University of Waterloo in 2024 after conducting research in Switzerland and several years at the University of Alberta, with a focus on reframing how communities value water—emphasizing protection, stewardship, and shared responsibility.
Building a blueprint for environmental stewardship
The Arlos Research Lab demonstrates how advanced analytical capabilities, when paired with cross-sector collaboration, can support more effective environmental stewardship. For lab managers, this model offers a practical framework: align technical expertise with broader societal goals, invest in high-quality data generation, and engage stakeholders beyond the laboratory.
As water systems face increasing pressure, laboratories will play a critical role not only in monitoring environmental change but also in shaping solutions that support long-term sustainability.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
