Phytofiltration of Arsenic-Contaminated Drinking Water

描述（由申请人提供）：饮用水的砷污染对全球数百万人构成重大健康风险。目前用于净化砷污染水的技术存在重大缺陷，如成本高和产生大量有毒废物。Edenspace系统公司建议为一种具有成本效益的植物过滤技术奠定基础，该技术使用最近发现的砷超积累蕨类植物，将饮用水中的砷去除到低于法规限制的浓度。第一阶段的研究表明，蕨类植物可以迅速降低砷浓度在各种源沃茨，实现水平低于新的美国环保局饮用水的限制10微克/升。第二阶段的研究会透过改变重要的水处理因素，例如砷的价态、水的酸碱值、溶解的矿物质（包括铁、硫、钠和钙的化合物）、氯化/氟化、光的强度和光谱，以及蕨类植物的大小和根的密度，进一步探讨蕨类植物的除砷能力。这项工作将在与新墨西哥州的阿尔伯克基市和弗吉尼亚州卫生部合作进行的连续过程演示中达到高潮。这项研究的预期结果可能为开发太阳能（光合作用）水培技术提供基础，该技术能够经济有效地小规模净化砷污染的饮用水。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Arsenic contamination of drinking water poses significant health risks to millions of people worldwide. Current technologies used to clean arsenic-contaminated water have significant drawbacks, such as high cost and generation of large volumes of toxic waste. Edenspace Systems Corporation proposes to create the basis for a cost-effective phytofiltration technology using a recently identified arsenic hyperaccumulating fern to remove arsenic from drinking water to concentrations below regulatory limits. Phase I research demonstrates that the fern can rapidly reduce arsenic concentrations in a variety of source waters, achieving levels less than the new USEPA drinking water limit of 10 mug/L. Phase II research will further explore the fern's arsenic removal capability by varying such important water treatment factors as arsenic valences, water pH, dissolved minerals including iron, sulfur, sodium and calcium compounds, chlorination/fluoridation, intensity and spectrum of light, and fern size and root density. The work will culminate in a continuous process demonstration conducted in collaboration with the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Virginia Department of Health. The anticipated results of this research may provide the foundation for development of a solar-powered (photosynthetic) hydroponic technique that enables cost-effective, small-scale cleanup of arsenic-contaminated drinking water.