Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Nanocellulose from Invasive Plants for H2O Filters

EPA Grant Number: SU836771
Title: Nanocellulose from Invasive Plants for H2O Filters
Investigators: Craver, Vinka A
Institution: University of Rhode Island
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2016 through August 31, 2017
Project Amount: $14,890
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2016) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

The original objective of the study was to use extract nanocellulose from waste algae material to manufacture filters that could be placed in a portable water treatment device called CleanSip. After several attempts, we were not able to extract enough material to produce the filters, therefore, we focused on the development of ceramic filters that could be used in the device instead of the nanocellulose filters. The main objective of this shifted research focus was to develop and test a silver nanoparticle impregnated ceramic filter to be used in the CleanSip bottle. The performance of these ceramic filters was assessed in terms of organic, inorganic, and microbiological contaminant removal. Red art clay was used for the manufacturing of these ceramic filters because this material is commonly available in pottery studies around the world.

The study was performed in two stages. During the first stage, we examined the effect of silver nanoparticles with different surface functionalization (casein, PVP and phyto-­extracts) on the microbiological, organic, and inorganic contaminant removal capacity of ceramic filters. From the comparison stage, we selected the best performing nanoparticles to be used in the ceramic disks.

During the second stage, we tested the ceramic disc impregnated with nanoparticles in real conditions at different location in South Africa. Ceramic water filters were fitted to the CleanSip bottle and then were tested with surface water from two locations in the Soweto Province of South Africa. The two locations were a local reservoir (urban) and a large river (rural). These locations were routinely used as a drinking water source for the local communities. The CleanSip was fitted with an untreated red art clay ceramic water filter, as well as a red art clay filter treated with rosemary and maltose nanoparticles, which were determined in Phase 1 of the study to have the highest bacteria removal capabilities of the three nanoparticles. The performance of the system was assessed only in terms of bacterial removal efficiency. The system was tested by passing 1 L through the filter, and taking an average log removal value (LRV) across the two volumes of 500 mL passed through. The tests were conducted in triplicate.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

Ceramic disks functionalized with silver nanoparticles (nAg) were assessed for their capacity to retain metal ions (lead, nickel, cadmium, copper, and zinc), polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluorene and acenaphthene) and Escherichia coli, simultaneously. The untreated red art clay disk exhibited a mass rejection (Rmass) of 95.97%, while casein, rosemary, and maltose nAg modified filters had Rmass values that were all > 99%. In terms of lead removal, red art disks exhibit a Rmass of 61%, while the nAg functionalized filters removed 74%, 72%, and 69% respectively. PAH removal was most effective in red art clay disks, with an average acenaphthene mass removal of 72% in red art clay, 72% in casein nAg disks, 67% in rosemary nAg disks, and 69% in maltose nAg disks; and mass removal rates of fluorene were observed as 73.38% in red art clay, 74% in casein nAg disks, 69% in rosemary nAg disks, and 72% in maltose.

In Phase 2, using the CleanSip bottle under real conditions in South Africa, the results agreed with the findings obtained during the Phase 1 of this study. Rosemary-­nAg impregnated ceramic disks removed microorganisms at levels similar to those observed during the laboratory tests using the same water chemistry conditions; however, when using the natural water sources, the performance was slightly lower. This is likely due to the turbidity and conductivity of the environmental samples, which could have contributed to clogging of the filters or by creating water chemistry conditions that were unfavorable to bacterial removal.

Conclusions:

The results showed that ceramic disks designed for water filtration are not only effective biological filtration devices, but also have the potential to remove other organic and inorganic contaminants from drinking water. This study evaluated the performance of ceramic water filters amended with several nAg species to assess the effect of the differing nAg surface functionalization on contaminant removal rates. The surface functionalization of the nAg proved to have an effect on the bacterial removal rates of the filters to which they were applied. nAg functionalization was shown to increase the sorption capacity of lead in comparison to unmodified filters. nAg application did not affect the removal rates of PAH compounds, which were more heavily influenced by filter material and hydraulic properties.

Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views

Other project views:	All 4 publications	1 publications in selected types	All 1 journal articles

Publications

Type	Citation	Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Sullivan RK, Erickson M, Oyanedel-Craver VA. Understanding the microbiological, organic and inorganic contaminant removal capacity of ceramic water filters doped with different silver nanoparticles. Environmental Science: Nano 2017;4(12):2348-2355.	SU836771 (Final)	Abstract: RSC-Abstract Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

log removal value, nanoparticle, polycycloic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, portable water treatment