Grantee Research Project Results
Biofilters to Effectively Remove Toxins
EPA Grant Number: SU839962Title: Biofilters to Effectively Remove Toxins
Investigators: Barua, Sutapa , Barua, Dibbya , Wang, Jee-Ching , Adler, Justin , Razdan, Sidharth
Current Investigators: Barua, Sutapa , Wang, Jee-Ching , Razdan, Sidharth , Adler, Justin , Barua, Dibbya
Institution: Missouri University of Science and Technology
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020 (Extended to June 30, 2021)
Project Amount: $24,997
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Description:
The goal of this project is to develop a portable, low cost biofilter that removes freshwater harmful algal bloom (FHAB) derived cyanotoxins and heavy metal ions from water using polymeric nanoparticles (NP) embedded in a soy protein derived cellulose filter that is biocompatible, biodegradable and inexpensive. The three major objectives that will be pursued in this project are:
Objective 1: Measure cyanotoxin and heavy metal ion (toxin) concentrations, and understand the need for cyanotoxin and metal ion treatments in Missouri FHAB events
Objective 2: Develop an environment friendly natural soy protein derived cellulose filter embedded with biocompatible polymeric NPs for the removal of toxins from water
Objective 3: Investigate the effects of relevant factors as design parameters to optimize the cyanotoxin and metal ion removal efficiency using filters impregnated with NPs
Objective:
Communities are faced with significant threats to health by the supplied water from lakes or reservoirs that develop FHABs. During a bloom, cyanobacteria release the bacterial cell wall component endotoxin, and other toxins (i.e., microcystin) into the water, which enter the bloodstream upon ingestion causing an overwhelming inflammatory response in humans. Water treatment plants currently use a series of standard cleansing procedures to diminish cyanotoxins, however, finding an effective and affordable technique remains a challenge. Here, we propose a new approach based on biocompatible polymeric NPs in particulate, and filter forms with a previously proven capability to achieve improved effectiveness and efficiency in removing cyanotoxins from FHAB contaminated source waters. To obtain a complete characterization, carefully planned experiments, and molecular simulations will be combined, analyzed, and tested.
Approach:
Surface water will be collected from lakes and reservoirs within Missouri. The water will be subjected to three sequential freeze-thaw cycles to lyse cyanobacterial cells to extract the cyanotoxins. Thus, total cyanotoxin as well as metal concentrations will be measured. Removal of these cyanotoxins will be assessed using nanometer-sized poly-e-caprolactone (PCL) NPs with specifically different diameters and shapes as synthesized in the PI's laboratory. Soy protein based cellulose filters will be constructed incorporating PCL NPs of various diameters and shapes to create a corrugated surface for effective cyanotoxin removal from the surface waters. Factors affecting the toxin removal efficacy will be investigated using molecular simulations (Co-Investigator's lab).
Expected Results:
It is expected that to the novel design of particulate polymeric NPs or the NP embedded flexible and portable soy filter will exhibit excellent capability and practicality in cyanotoxin separation. This will be the first demonstration soy protein based portable membranes with embedded polymeric NPs of diverse geometries, which provide strong adsorptive interactions and high surface area to volume ratio for cyanotoxin removal from FHAB source water. A portable prototype of PCL NP powder and a flexible bio filter will be displayed in the EPA's Student Design Expo. This pilot scale study will exhibit the feasibility and efficacy of a new design of water filters.
The combinatorial techniques of polymeric NPs in a flexible and portable biofilter represent a novel tool for cyanotoxin removal technology from water. The unique design of the combinatorial matrix polymeric NPs and soy paper film will have enhanced binding of cyanotoxin removal. The proposed study will result in highly efficacious system that is applicable to minimize the cyanotoxin level for a variety of applications including drinking water purification, drug formulation or pharmaceutical preparation. The PI, Co-I, graduate and undergraduate students will work together to generate data, publish peer-reviewed articles, and present the data. Our thrusts are on the recruitment of underrepresented students, especially women in engineering.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 3 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 2 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Polymer Nanoparticles (NPs), Portable Biofilter, Cyanotoxin Removal, Metal Contaminant Removal, and Water PurificationProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.