Phytofiltration of Arsenic-Contaminated Drinking Water

描述（由申请人提供）：饮用水中的砷污染对全世界数百万人的健康构成重大威胁。目前用于清洁砷污染水的技术存在显著缺陷，例如成本高和产生大量有毒废物。Edenspace系统公司提议为一种具有成本效益的植物过滤技术创造基础，该技术使用最近发现的砷超富集蕨类植物，以去除饮用水中的砷，使其浓度低于法规限制。第一阶段的研究表明，蕨类植物可以迅速降低各种水源水中的砷浓度，达到低于美国环保署饮用水新限制10杯/升的水平。第二阶段的研究将通过改变一些重要的水处理因素，如砷价、水pH、溶解的矿物质（包括铁、硫、钠和钙化合物）、氯化/氟化、光的强度和光谱、蕨类植物的大小和根密度，进一步探索蕨类植物的除砷能力。这项工作将在与新墨西哥州阿尔伯克基市和弗吉尼亚州卫生部合作进行的连续过程示范中达到高潮。这项研究的预期结果可能为太阳能（光合作用）水培技术的发展提供基础，该技术可以实现低成本、小规模的砷污染饮用水的清理。

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.