I-Corps: Chemical-Free Advanced Oxidation Water Treatment System

I-Corps项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是为水再利用市场开发无化学品、紫外线（UV）光驱动的水处理系统。实施紫外线驱动的水消毒的成本往往是其在较小规模或更脆弱社区中使用的障碍。通过提高紫外线驱动的高级氧化工艺（AOPs）的可负担性，有可能在发展中社区实施这项技术，特别是对隐孢子虫和贾第鞭毛虫等寄生虫的消毒，它们对公共卫生构成重大威胁。通过取代氯基氧化剂，该装置可以减少有害的消毒副产物，如三卤甲烷（THMs）。研究表明，在饮用水中摄入thm可能会增加患某些癌症的风险，并导致不利的生殖结果。更全面地实施UV-AOPs还可能导致许多新出现的污染物的降解，包括1,4-二恶烷、抗生素、内分泌干扰物和（潜在的）SARS-CoV-2。I-Corps项目的基础是开发一种固定化光催化剂，该催化剂具有高有效表面积、低质量传输限制、深紫外线穿透性和长期的化学、机械和热稳定性。提出的技术已经在一个概念验证反应器中实施，并表明该技术将在紫外线照射下在几秒钟内降解各种化学污染物。判断UV AOPs经济可行性的主要指标是单位数量级的电能（EE/O），即将目标病原体或化学污染物的浓度降低一个数量级（90%）所需的电能量。虽然EE/O在很大程度上取决于水质、目标污染物和反应器设计，但通常认为EE/O值低于10 kWh/m3的紫外线消毒系统在商业上是可行的。该技术可以在数天内实现模型污染物（罗丹明B） 0.6 kWh/m3的EE/O，而不会降低性能。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a chemical-free, ultraviolet (UV) light-driven water treatment system for the water re-use market. The cost of implementing UV light-driven water disinfection is often a barrier to its utilization on smaller scales or in more vulnerable communities. By improving the affordability of UV light-driven advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), it may be possible to implement this technology in developing communities, especially for the disinfection of parasites like Cryptosporidium and Giardia, which pose a significant public health threat. By replacing chlorine-based oxidants, the proposed device may reduce harmful disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THMs). Research suggests that consuming THMs in drinking water may elevate the risk of certain cancers and result in adverse reproductive outcomes. More comprehensive implementation of UV-AOPs also may lead to the degradation of many emerging contaminants, including 1,4-dioxane, antibiotics, endocrine disruptors, and (potentially) SARS-CoV-2. This I-Corps project is based on the development of an immobilized photocatalyst with a high effective surface area, low mass transport limitations, deep UV penetration, and long-term chemical, mechanical, and thermal stability. The proposed technology has been implemented in a proof-of-concept reactor and shows that the technology will degrade various chemical contaminants under UV light illumination in a matter of seconds. The primary figure of merit for judging the economic viability of UV AOPs is the electrical energy per unit order (EE/O), i.e., the amount of electrical energy required to reduce the concentration of a target pathogen or chemical contaminant by one order of magnitude (90%). While EE/O is largely dependent on the water quality, target contaminant, and reactor design, UV light disinfection systems with EE/O values below 10 kWh/m3 are generally considered commercially viable. The proposed technology can achieve an EE/O for a model contaminant (Rhodamine B) of 0.6 kWh/m3 for several days without a drop in performance.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.