GOALI: SusChEM: Experimental Investigation of Chloramine and Persulfate Aqueous Photochemistry and Development of Efficient Ultraviolet-Based Water Treatment

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In this project funded by the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation, Professor Haizhou Liu of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and Dr. Ken Ishida of Orange County Water District (OCWD) are investigating the ultraviolet (UV) light-driven advanced oxidation process (AOP) of trace organic contaminants in wastewater. The AOP process uses two oxidants: chloramine and persulfate to remove contamination in the water. The underlying hypothesis of this research is that the two oxidants produce unique reactive species under UV light. The solution chemical conditions (e.g., pH, chloride and bicarbonate concentrations) are optimized to maximize contaminant degradation and minimize the energy required by the UV-based water treatment system. This project promotes university-industry partnerships in a severely water-stressed region (Southwest U.S.). The collaboration serves as a model to develop efficient, cost-effective and sustainable water reuse technologies, helps the water industry with smart infrastructure, prepares our society for water sustainability, and ultimately protects public health. This research enhances U.S. technological competitiveness in the water sector by accelerating new knowledge transfer between the university and industry.The research goal fits one of the National Academy of Engineering's Grand Challenges- provide access to clean water. The multi-tool research strategy advances our understanding of photochemistry and fate of trace organic contaminants in wastewater effluent, and promotes the application of efficient oxidants in UV-based water reuse technologies. A transformative quality of this project derives from the combination of computational kinetics modeling, lab-scale experiments, and pilot-scale investigation at the OCWD's advanced water purification facility. Understanding of the UV/AOP is mostly limited to hydroxyl radical-dominated systems. Awareness of the reactivities of amine, sulfate, and halide reactive species is confined to atmospheric aerosol, estuary or groundwater remediation systems, not engineered UV processes. This study represents research that challenges conventional wisdom surrounding radical chemistry in UV/AOP. The investigators recruit one graduate student and minority undergraduate students from UCR to work in the UCR lab and at OCWD on this research. Further, Drs. Liu and Ishida and the students introduce industrial professions to local high school students through lectures and interactive events at water treatment facilities.