International Collaborative Research: Desalination for Global Water Resources Using Biofouling-Resistant Nanocomposite Membranes

1264039 1264001 1264103提案摘要：该项目旨在支持托莱多大学的Isabel Escobar博士、佐治亚理工学院的Tequila Harris博士和罗德岛大学的Vinka Craver博士与约旦科技大学（JUST）的Muna Abu-Dalo博士和埃及国家研究中心（ENRC）的Elham El-Zanati博士的合作研究。他们将通过在溶液中浸渍纳米颗粒来解决由于化学物质和微生物被拒绝而造成的膜生物污染。随着世界各地人口的迅速增长和发展，以及对清洁水的内在需求，必须对咸淡水和海水资源进行处理。两种主要的海水淡化技术是热和膜技术，特别是反渗透（RO）。纳滤技术用于去除水源中的其他物质，也常用于海水淡化。虽然反渗透和纳滤都可以生产饮用水，但反渗透去除绝大多数溶质，使渗透水中缺少必需营养素（如钙、镁离子），使营养水平低于世界卫生组织规定的标准。因此，必须添加营养物质（即再矿化）以使水恢复到饮用水的标准水平。另一方面，纳滤法去除的溶质较少，并且可以避免对水再矿化的需要。因此，对于发展中国家来说，这是一项更可取的技术。这项合作研究将通过全面的实验分析和测试来解决这一过程，并阐明减轻生物污染的方法。生物污染防治领域的大部分研究和发展都集中在给水预处理、改进清洗溶液和清洗程序上。这个国际团队将开发抗生物污垢（BRN）纳米复合膜，装载铜或银纳米颗粒，从合成到大规模生产。Abu-Dalo博士和El-Zanati博士将对水条件进行表征，Craver博士和Escobar博士将开发并表征所提议的膜，Harris博士将制造膜，Dalo博士和El-Zanati博士将在恶劣的微咸水环境中测试膜并进行分析。知识产权：生物污染是膜水处理中的一个重要问题。PIs计划开发新型负载铜和银离子的抗生物污染膜（BRM），并研究生物污染的机制以及导致聚合物复合膜缺陷的机制。他们将测试恶劣的海水并研究膜的性能。美国和国际pi在膜开发或测试，水质测试和分析方面具有互补的经验。有一种机制可以从实验室转移到更大规模的测试，但在进行大规模测试之前，有几个重要的问题需要先解决。项目负责人将开发初步结果和协作互动，使他们能够提交完整的提案。这是一个“高风险-高回报”的项目。更广泛的影响：这项活动是开发铜和银掺杂膜，在埃及和约旦的各种海水中进行测试。这项工作的结果可能具有全球影响和相关性。拟议中的BRM将有助于美国的废水净化，并在全球范围内用于处理微咸水和海水。该项目将资助3名美国研究生在埃及和约旦进行长达2个月的研究。这项活动可以为若干领域的国际合作创造机会，例如膜技术、海水淡化和水/废水处理的研究。该研究在生物污染机理和膜缺陷机理方面具有广阔的应用前景。这个项目很可能会导致准备和向NSF提交完整的联合研究提案，期刊出版物，并为可申请专利的膜开发初步数据，这可能对供水和膜工业产生重大的长期影响。这些科学家都是女性，他们在国家科学基金会赞助的一次会议上提出了这一建议，该会议旨在促进科学和工程领域女性教员之间的合作。

1264039 1264001 1264103 Summary of Proposal: This project is to support a collaborative research including Dr. Isabel Escobar, University of Toledo, Dr. Tequila Harris, Georgia Tech. and Dr. Vinka Craver, University of Rhode Island in collaboration with Dr. Muna Abu-Dalo, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), and Dr. Elham El-Zanati, Egyptian National Research Center (ENRC), Egypt. They will address the mitigation of membrane biofouling, due to rejected chemicals and microbes, by impregnating the solutions with nanoparticles. With the rapid growth and development of populations around the world, and the inherent need for clean water, it is imperative to treat brackish- and sea-water sources. The two leading desalination technologies are thermal and membrane technologies, specifically reverse osmosis (RO). Nanofiltration (NF) is used for the removal of other substances from water source, and also commonly used for the desalination of water. While both RO and NF can produce potable water, RO removes a large majority of solutes, which leaves the permeate water void of essential nutrients (e.g. calcium, magnesium ions) and placing the nutrient levels below that of the required World Health Organization standards. Thus nutrients must be added (i.e. reminerailization) to bring the water back to the standard levels for drinking water. NF methods, on the other hand, remove fewer solutes, and may avoid the need to remineralize the water. Thus, it is a more desirable technology for developing nations. This collaborative research will address this process and will elucidate the mitigation of biofouling, through comprehensive experimental analyses and testing. Most of the research and development in the area of biofouling prevention has focused on pretreatment of the feed water, improved cleaning solutions and cleaning procedures. The international team will develop biofouling-resistant (BRN) nanocomposite membranes, loaded with copper or silver nanoparticles, from synthesis to macro scale production. Dr Abu-Dalo and Dr. El-Zanati will characterize the water conditions, Dr. Craver and Dr. Escobar will develop and characterize the proposed membranes, Dr. Harris will fabricate them, and Dr. Dalo and Dr. El-Zanati will test the membranes, and conduct the analysis, in harsh brackish water environments.Intellectual merit: Biofouling is an important problem in water treatment when using membranes. The PIs plan to develop novel bio-fouling resistant membranes (BRM) loaded with copper and silver ions, and to study the mechanisms of bio-fouling as well as those that cause defects in polymer composite membranes. They will test harsh seawaters and study the membrane performance. The US and international PIs have complementary experiences in membrane development or testing, and water quality testing and analysis. There is a mechanism to move from the lab to larger scale testing but there are a few important questions that need to be resolved first before heading to scale-up. The PIs will develop initial results and collaborative interactions to enable them to submit a full proposal. This represents a "high risk-high reward" project. Broader impacts: This activity is to develop copper and silver doped membranes to test on variety of seawaters in Egypt and Jordan. The results from this work could have global impact and relevance. The proposed BRM will aid in wastewater clean-up in the US, as well as being used to treat brackish water and seawater, globally. The project will fund 3 graduate students from the U.S. to spend up to 2 months in Egypt and Jordan conducting research. The activity can create opportunities for international collaborations in several areas such as research on membrane technologies, desalination and water/wastewater treatment. The research has potential for far outreach and to develop new information in bio-fouling mechanisms and membrane defect mechanisms. It is likely that this project will lead to the preparation and submission of full joint research proposals to NSF, journal publications, and development of preliminary data for a patentable membrane that could have significant long-term impact on water supply and the membrane industry. The scientists, all women, developed this proposal at a NSF sponsored meeting that was intended to foster collaboration amongst women faculty in the sciences and engineering.