Exploring Coupled Physical, Biological and Chemical Processes that Control Lead Fate and Transport through Plastic Plumbing Materials

探索通过塑料管道材料控制铅的归宿和运输的物理、生物和化学耦合过程

• 批准号: 2309475
• 负责人: Maryam Salehi
• 金额: $ 32.97万
• 依托单位: University of Missouri-Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-10-01 至 2024-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2309475&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Exploring; Coupled; Physical; Biological; Chemical

Lead contamination in drinking water is a serious public health concern in the United States. Because even low levels of lead exposure can cause neurological damage and learning disabilities in children, the U.S. EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero. Lead in drinking water originates predominantly from the corrosion of lead-bearing pipes and plumbing fixtures. Plastic pipes are increasingly being utilized to replace aging water pipes to minimize and eliminate lead contamination. Despite the commonly held assumption that plastic water distribution pipes are inert, recent research has established that plastic pipes can react with lead in water. However, the mechanisms of lead sorption onto and release from plastic pipes are poorly understood. The goal of this research is to advance our understanding of the sorption and release of lead by plastic water distribution pipes. To achieve this goal, the research team will characterize the extent, rate, and mechanisms of lead sorption and release from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipes into drinking water. Successful completion of this project will further our understanding of the risk posed by lead and help minimize the release of lead in drinking water. Further benefits to society will be achieved through STEM education and training at the college level and through outreach to K-12 students, thus increasing the scientific literacy of the nation.The formation and growth of bacterial biofilms in drinking water distribution systems is a major health concern. While significant research has been devoted to the effect of biofilms on the release of lead via corrosion of metallic water pipes, the impact of biofilms on lead sorption and release by plastic water pipes has largely been overlooked. This issue is concerning in light of the fact that plastic pipes may be more susceptible to biofilm development than metallic pipes. The goal of this research is to investigate the physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms of lead sorption and release by HDPE and PEX plastic water distribution systems. To achieve this goal, the research team will: i) investigate the role of biofilm structure and water flow on lead sorption extent and kinetics onto HDPE and PEX pipes; ii) examine the role of biofilm structure on lead desorption and release from plastic pipes under varying water chemical composition and flow conditions; and iii) combine genomic assays with bioinformatics and machine learning to identify biomarker genes that could be used to detect lead contamination signatures via the evaluation of microbial gene expression profiles in water pipe biofilms. Successful completion of this research will address significant gaps in our knowledge on the role plastic pipes play in lead sorption. This new knowledge will help inform efforts to control lead deposition onto and release from drinking water distribution pipes.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.

在美国，饮用水中的铅污染是一个严重的公共卫生问题。由于即使是低水平的铅暴露也会导致儿童神经损害和学习障碍，因此美国EPA设定了饮用水中铅的最大污染物水平目标。饮用水中的铅主要来自铅管和管道固定装置的腐蚀。塑料管越来越多地用于替代老化的水管，以最大程度地减少和消除铅污染。尽管人们普遍认为塑料水分配管是惰性的，但最近的研究表明，塑料管道可以与水中的铅反应。但是，从塑料管中吸附和释放的铅吸附机制知之甚少。这项研究的目的是促进我们对塑料水分配管道对铅的吸附和释放的理解。为了实现这一目标，研究团队将表征铅吸附的程度，速率和机制，并从高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）和交联聚乙烯（PEX）管道中释放到饮用水中。该项目的成功完成将进一步理解铅带来的风险，并有助于最大程度地减少饮用水中的铅的释放。通过在大学一级的STEM教育和培训以及向K-12学生推广，将实现社会的进一步好处，从而提高国家的科学素养。饮用水分配系统中细菌生物膜的形成和成长是主要的健康问题。尽管大量研究致力于生物膜通过金属水管腐蚀释放铅的影响，但生物膜对铅吸附的影响和塑料水管释放的影响很大程度上被忽略了。鉴于塑料管可能比金属管更容易受到生物膜发育的影响。这项研究的目的是研究HDPE和PEX塑料水分配系统的铅吸附和释放的物理，化学和生物学机制。为了实现这一目标，研究团队将：i）研究生物膜结构和水流在HDPE和PEX管道上的铅吸附范围以及动力学的作用； ii）检查生物膜结构在不同的化学成分和流动条件下从塑料管中释放的铅解吸和释放的作用； iii）将基因组测定与生物信息学和机器学习结合在一起，以鉴定可通过评估水管生物膜中的微生物基因表达谱的评估来检测可用于检测铅污染特征的生物标志物基因。这项研究的成功完成将解决我们关于塑料管在铅吸附中所扮演的角色的重要差距。这一新知识将有助于为控制铅沉积的努力提供信息，并从饮用水分配管道中释放出来。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估标准来评估值得支持的。

项目成果

Impact of the surface aging of potable water plastic pipes on their lead deposition characteristics

• DOI: 10.1039/d3ew00043e
• 发表时间: 2023-08-07
• 期刊: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
• 影响因子: 5
• 作者: Hadiuzzaman，Md;Ladner，David A. A.;Salehi，Maryam
• 通讯作者: Salehi，Maryam

Lead (Pb) deposition onto new and biofilm-laden potable water pipes

铅 (Pb) 沉积在新的、充满生物膜的饮用水管上

• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140135
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Chemosphere
• 影响因子: 8.8
• 作者: Hadiuzzaman, Md;Mirza, Nahreen;Brown, Shawn P.;Ladner, David A.;Salehi, Maryam
• 通讯作者: Salehi, Maryam