UNS: Engineered Nanomaterial Impact on Long-Term Stability of MSW Landfill and Leachate Treatment Pond Geomembrane Liners

1510869 Berge随着含纳米材料的工程产品达到其使用寿命的终点，它们可能会留在城市固体废物填埋场。在南卡罗来纳州大学的主要研究者（PI）实验室进行的工作表明，碳纳米管的流动性，工程纳米材料的例子，在含有“成熟”沥滤液（主要由腐殖酸组成）的废物环境中可能很重要。本研究的主要目标是进行实验和分子模拟，以了解与城市固体废物填埋场工程纳米材料-土工膜相互作用相关的影响。工程纳米材料的生产持续增加：因此，含有工程纳米材料的产品/废物将不可避免地最终进入填埋场。遗憾的是，没有任何程序或研究来评估目前设计和运行的垃圾填埋场和渗滤液处理/储存池是否能够充分管理/容纳这些材料。特别重要的是了解工程纳米材料如何与衬里中的土工合成材料相互作用。这项工作将阐明工程纳米材料对高密度聚乙烯土工膜的影响，重要的是，它们如何影响土工膜的耐用性/使用寿命。这项研究是变革性的，因为它是第一项将探索工程纳米材料-高密度聚乙烯内衬相互作用的研究。结果将提供必要的信息，以评估目前的固体废物管理过程是否足以安全地管理/控制此类废物。研究结果将通过演讲和出版物广泛传播。该项目的指导假设是，工程纳米材料将通过增加抗氧化剂的释放/消耗来影响土工膜的长期稳定性。工程纳米材料对土工膜的影响的性质取决于材料应用（例如，填埋场底部衬垫或渗滤液储存池）和环境条件（例如，氧存在）。这项工作的具体目标是：（1）阐明选定的工程纳米材料如何影响聚合物氧化，抗氧化剂扩散，以及高密度聚乙烯内衬机械行为的后续变化;（2）了解工程纳米材料表面化学如何影响聚合物氧化和抗氧化剂扩散;和（3）进行分子水平模拟以计算吸附/分配系数，量化扩散系数，并计算氧化反应的反应动力学，并开发一个过程模型，以量化工程纳米材料对高密度聚乙烯内衬中抗氧化剂消耗的影响。PI致力于促进教学，培训和学习，同时进行这项研究。更广泛的影响计划由三个部分组成：（1）K-12推广;（2）工程学中代表性不足的人口的本科研究经验;以及（3）博士生指导。预计通过这些计划中的活动可以接触到大量潜在的未来工程师和科学家。

1510869Berge As engineered nanomaterial-containing products reach the end of their useful life, they will likely reside in municipal solid waste landfills. Work conducted in the principal investigator's (PI's) laboratory at the University of South Carolina suggests that the mobility of carbon nanotubes, examples of engineered nanomaterials, may be significant in waste environments containing "mature" leachate (consisting primarily of humic acid). The main goal of this research is to conduct experiments and perform molecular modeling simulations to understand the implications associated with engineered nanomaterial-geomembrane interactions in municipal solid waste landfills.Engineered nanomaterial production continues to increase: therefore it is inevitable that engineered nanomaterial-containing products/wastes will end up in landfills. Unfortunately, there are no processes or research to evaluate whether currently designed and operating landfills and leachate treatment/storage ponds can adequately manage/contain these materials. Of particular importance is the understanding of how engineered nanomaterials may interact with the geosynthetics present in the liners. This work will elucidate the impact of engineered nanomaterials on high-density polyethylene geomembranes and importantly, how they may influence geomembrane durability/service lives. This research is transformative in that it is the first study in which engineered nanomaterial-high-density polyethylene liner interactions will be explored. Results will provide necessary information to assess whether current solid waste management processes are adequate to safely manage/contain such wastes. The research results will be widely disseminated via presentations and publications. This project is guided by the hypothesis that engineered nanomaterials will influence long-term stability of geomembranes by increasing antioxidant release/depletion. The nature of engineered nanomaterial influences on geomembranes are dependent on material application (e.g., landfill bottom liner or leachate storage pond) and environmental conditions (e.g., oxygen presence). The specific objectives of this work are: (1) Elucidate how selected engineered nanomaterials influence polymer oxidation, antioxidant diffusion, and subsequent changes in mechanical behavior of high-density polyethylene liners; (2) Understand how engineered nanomaterial surface chemistry influences polymer oxidation and antioxidant diffusion; and, (3) Perform molecular level simulations to calculate adsorption/partitioning coefficients, quantify diffusion coefficients, and calculate reaction kinetics for oxidation reactions, and develop a process model to quantify the effects of engineered nanomaterials on antioxidant depletion in high-density polyethylene liners. The PI is committed to promoting teaching, training, and learning while conducting this research. The broader impacts plan is comprised of three components: (1) K-12 outreach; (2) undergraduate research experiences for underrepresented populations in engineering; and, (3) doctoral student mentoring. It is anticipated that a large population of potential future engineers and scientists can be reached through these planned activities.