NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Australia

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This action funds Ariel Atkinson of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to conduct a research project in Engineering during the summer of 2013 at the Advanced Water Management Centre at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. The project title is "The Effect of Organic Matter on the Fate of Disinfection By-Products during the Production of High Quality Recycled Water." The host scientist is Dr. Maria José Farré.Water scarcity and compromised source water quality is a major issue facing many areas of the US and around the world; the need for alternative water sources continues to grow. Membranes can be used to address this problem; specifically to treat wastewater or compromised water sources in conjunction with other treatment processes to produce high quality potable water. Disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are potentially harmful to human health, are formed during water disinfection. How they can be prevented from ending up in finished water during high quality recycled water production is important for the protection of public health. This study specifically investigates the role organic matter plays on the fate of DBPs in membrane treatment. This project will add to the fundamental understanding and practical issues of membrane treatment, disinfection-by product fate, water recycling, and the implementation of this new technology. The production of high quality water from wastewater can be a major sustainable alternative source for drinking water, and the inevitable move toward potable water reuse makes the thorough investigation of water recycling even more vital at this time. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce.