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

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为水再利用市场开发一种无化学品、紫外线(UV)光驱动的水处理系统。实施紫外光驱动的水消毒的成本往往是在较小规模或在更脆弱的社区使用的障碍。通过提高紫外光驱动高级氧化工艺(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构成重大公共健康威胁的寄生虫的消毒。通过取代氯基氧化剂，建议的设备可能会减少有害的消毒副产物，如三卤代甲烷(THMS)。研究表明，饮用饮用水中的三氯甲烷可能会增加患某些癌症的风险，并导致不利的生殖后果。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(可能)SARS-CoV-2。这个i-Corps项目是基于开发一种固定化光催化剂，具有高有效表面积、低质量传输限制、深紫外光穿透以及长期的化学、机械和热稳定性。该技术已在概念验证反应堆中实现，并表明该技术将在几秒钟内降解紫外光照射下的各种化学污染物。判断紫外线AOPS经济可行性的主要指标是每单位订单的电能(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。虽然EE/O在很大程度上取决于水质、目标污染物和反应堆设计，但EE/O值低于10千瓦时/立方米的紫外线消毒系统通常被认为在商业上是可行的。拟议的技术可以在几天内实现模型污染物(罗丹明B)的EE/O为0.6千瓦时/立方米，而不会出现性能下降。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.