Assessment of Hurricane Marias impact and subsequent effects of ecosystem regeneration and heavy metal inputs in an urban coastal wetland

国家科学基金会支持的中心创新，研究和教育环境纳米技术在波多黎各-里约Piedras大学致力于纳米材料和设备的发展，以解决环境污染，同时发展多元化的科学，技术，工程和数学劳动力。 该中心的研究工作包括开发用于水净化，土壤修复和资源回收的纳米材料。中心的研究人员向国家科学基金会提交了一份快速反应（RAPID）提案，对自然灾害进行快速反应研究。2017年9月6日的飓风厄玛和9月20日的飓风玛丽亚的共同路径对整个波多黎各岛造成了破坏性影响。城市沿海湿地作为中心的试验台、纳米结构开发的基质来源和生物燃料生产的基质，受到飓风的严重影响，并受到来自高地水源的淡水造成的大规模洪水的严重影响。波多黎各里奥皮德拉斯大学的中心研究人员将（1）评估飓风的影响和随后的湿地再生：纳米结构构建的基质来源、生物燃料生成的基质来源以及与纳米结构结合用于纳米植物修复工作的植物物种，以及（2）量化试验床湿地的重金属输入。拟议的研究将有助于了解有关非凡的自然气候事件的影响，如大规模飓风和该地区随后的气候条件，城市沿海湿地系统的影响再生动力学，及其重金属修复能力。更广泛的影响：拟议的工作将促进发现和了解大规模飓风的影响如何影响沿海湿地的框架下的城市和工业条件。项目活动通过让研究生和本科生参与研究，提供实践培训和学习。该项目将扩大代表性不足群体在科学技术、工程和数学领域的参与。

The Nation Science Foundation-supported Center for Innovation, Research and Education in Environmental Nanotechnology at the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras is dedicated to the development of nanomaterials and devices to address environmental pollution, while developing a diverse science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce. The Center's research endeavors include development of nanomaterials for water purification, soil remediation, and resource recovery. Center investigators submitted a Rapid Response (RAPID) proposal to the National Science Foundation to conduct quick-response research on a natural disaster. The combined paths of Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017, and Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017, had devastating effects across the entire island of Puerto Rico. The urban coastal wetland that serves as the Center testbed, source of substrates for nanostructure development, and substrate for biofuel production, was severely affected by the hurricane winds, and by massive flooding due to fresh water flowing from upland sources.Center research staff at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras will (1) assess hurricane impact and subsequent wetland regeneration: the substrate source for nanostructure construction, substrate source for biofuel generation, and the plant species to be used in combination with nanostructures for nano-phyto remediation work, and (2) quantify the heavy metal inputs to the testbed wetland.INTELLECTUAL MERIT: Proposed research will contribute to knowledge concerning the impact of extraordinary natural climatological events, such as a massive hurricane and the subsequent climatological conditions in the area, impact regeneration dynamics of an urban coastal wetland system, and its capacity for heavy metal remediation. BROADER IMPACT: Proposed work will advance discovery and understanding of how massive hurricane impacts affect coastal wetlands under a framework of urban and industrial conditions. Project activities provide hands-on training and learning, by involving graduate and undergraduate students in research. The project will broaden the participation of under-represented groups in science technology, engineering and mathematics fields.