| NSF Org: |
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 9, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | May 5, 2021 |
| Award Number: | 1931941 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Mamadou Diallo
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2019 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $330,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $360,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2021 = $30,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
506 S WRIGHT ST URBANA IL US 61801-3620 (217)333-2187 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
506 Wright Street Urbana IL US 61801-3620 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | EnvE-Environmental Engineering |
| Primary Program Source: |
01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
Micropollutants are chemical compounds that can cause harm to human and aquatic health, and due to their stability, they are persistent in the environment. A few examples of such compounds include pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and many chemicals present in household products. Micropollutants are often found in water at very small concentrations, which makes them difficult to remove via conventional water treatment processes. Electrochemical treatment is a method that potentially can remove micropollutants more effectively and without generating waste. However, there are two major barriers preventing this technology from being deployed more widely. First has been the lack of selectivity for this method in capturing and removing micropollutants. Second is that electrochemical treatment typically requires high energy inputs. The objective of this research project is to develop more selective electrochemically-driven micropollutant removal systems that have lower associated energy costs. As part of this project the research team will undertake educational outreach at a Chicago K-8 charter school and develop tools for the formative assessment of middle schooler's understanding of relevant scientific knowledge. In addition, the researchers will incorporate electrochemical water treatment cases into a new undergraduate elective course to train the next generation of water treatment professionals. These educational aims will be closely aligned to the research carried out in the proposal to leverage intellectual merit and broader societal impacts. The results of this project will increase STEM engagement and better prepare the next generation of leaders to improve our nation's water security.
The objective of this research project is to develop an electrochemically-mediated system that selectively removes micropollutants at low overpotentials. The removal of micropollutants from water is an ongoing challenge due to their high chemical stability and persistence in the environment. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms and chemical pathways of the electrochemical degradation of micropollutants remain largely unexplored. The proposed system is based on functionalized Faradaic electrodes that have high ion selectivity and fast electron-transfer properties within the aqueous stability window. During this project the researchers will explore the effectiveness of Faradaic (redox-active) electrodes for the removal and conversion of selected micropollutants and will use transformation product analysis to elucidate mechanisms for ion-selectivity and electrochemical degradation. The researchers also will develop a continuous flow system and parametric model to enable a comparative technoeconomic analysis of the process. Micropollutants to be studied include heavy metal oxyanions, pharmaceutical and nitrosamine precursors, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The outcomes of this research are expected to lead to new insights into the role of Faradaic processes for micropollutant degradation and potentially lead to a practical treatment technology.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Intellectual Merit. The remediation of micropollutants of concern is an urgent challenge to address. Our project has focused on the development of electrochemically-mediated systems based on functionalized Faradaic electrodes, to remediate micropollutants at low overpotentials and in a selective manner. Achievements of our project include the development of new classes of electrosorbents for the removal of long-chain PFAS (PFOA) and Gen-X from water streams. We have studied in detail the mechanistic binding steps, and elucidated the need for a combination of molecular interactions for achieve high uptake and reversibility. In addition, throughout the project, we have leveraged redox-polymer concepts for the removal and reactive remediation of heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury. We have advanced the state-of-art of electrosorption technologies by broadening the scope of target molecules for capture, as well as improved the efficiency of existing electrodes. Our project has also studied pathways and mechanisms for the degradation, evaluated the electrochemical treatment effectiveness and closely investigating the chemical pathways for degradation, and performed a TEA analysis on the processes. The project has yielded twelve peer-reviewed publications and several conference presentations.
Broader Impacts. Our project has significantly advanced the understanding of micropollutant electrosorption at a fundamental and applied level, and provided sustainable solutions to increase the water security in the U.S through new ion-selective electrochemical separation platforms. Throughout our project, we have mentored and trained 5 graduate students, several undergraduates, and carried out yearly summer workshops for STEM outreach through a UIUC on-campus project. We have also encouraged our students to present their results in conferences with significant outreach and DEI components, such the Sloan and SACNAS conferences. Finally, we have incorporated content and knowledge developed from the projects on electrochemical water treatment into a textbook chapter, as well as new topical sections in the elective classes taught by the PIs.
Last Modified: 02/11/2023
Modified by: Xiao Su
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