Development of innovative technology for aluminum removal from potable water

空气、土壤和水中的有毒重金属是全球性问题，对人类的威胁日益严重。随着工业技术的不断进步，导致重金属污染增加，对人类、植物和动物造成有害影响。由于有毒金属不容易降解，它们会随着时间的推移而积累，对生物体构成更大的危险。因此，去除这些重金属非常重要。拟议项目的目标是开发一种可靠、强大和具有成本效益的地下水净化技术，以降低其中铝（Al）的浓度，并使井水安全用于家庭供水。 饮用水中的铝来自天然来源和水处理过程中用作混凝剂的明矾。主要目标是开发一种基于半导体制冷剂的技术，能够在井水提供主要供水来源的地方净化饮用水。第二个目标是了解该技术的基本原理和现场依赖的条件下，高浓度的铝在水中的影响，通过使用现有的一套现场数据威尔斯与高Al（III）浓度。系统地应用数学和统计工具以及实验来分析实地数据调查是选择和整理包括场地依赖性环节在内的影响因素的必要基础。该建议是西方研究小组与加拿大工业界（辛普森环境公司）之间建立新的研究伙伴关系的第一步。该项目将作为第一步（概念验证）进行探索，以评估含铝饮用水净化的可再生技术。随后，该项目将探索开发适用于加拿大和国外各种环境条件和气候的系统。本项目的主要研究者在光催化反应器和高效光催化反应器的开发方面具有丰富的研究经验，包括去除有毒金属离子，如As、Cr、Hg、Cd和Zn。

Toxic heavy metals in air, soil, and water are global problems that are a growing threat to humanity. As the increase in industrial technology continue to progress, it results in the increase in heavy metal pollution, creating harmful effects on humans, plants, and animals. Since toxic metals do not degrade easily, they accumulate over time, posing greater danger to living organisms. Removal of these heavy metals is therefore, of great importance. The goal of the proposed project is to develop a reliable, robust and cost-effective technology of ground water purification allowing decreasing the concentration of aluminum (Al) in it and making the well water safe for a household water supply. Aluminum in drinking water comes from natural sources and the alum used as coagulant in the water treatment process. The prime objective is to develop a technology based on semiconductor photocatalysis that is capable to purify potable water in locations where well water provides the primary source for water supply. The second objective is to understand underlying principles of the technology and the effect of site-dependant conditions of high concentration of aluminum in water by using an existing set of field data on wells with high Al(III) concentrations. Systematic application of mathematical and statistical tools as well as experimentation to analyze the field data investigation is a necessary foundation to choose and to sort out influencing factors including site-dependent links. The proposal is the initial step in the development of a new research partnership between the Western research team and Canadian industry (Simpson Environmental Corporation). The project is to explore as first step (proof-of-concept) towards evaluating a photocatalysis technology of potable water purification containing aluminum. Subsequently, project will explore development of system applicable to various environmental conditions and climates in Canada and abroad. The PI of this proposal has extensive research experience on photocatalysis and high rate photocatalytic reactor development including removal of toxic metal ions such as As, Cr, Hg, Cd and Zn.