Grantee Research Project Results
Increased Sensitivity for Lead Detection in Drinking Water Using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)
EPA Grant Number: SU840170Title: Increased Sensitivity for Lead Detection in Drinking Water Using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)
Investigators: Dong, Lifeng , Walsh, Alex , Wendorf, Kyle , Coffler, Samantha , Grace, Sideena
Current Investigators: Dong, Lifeng , Walsh, Alex , Wendorf, Kyle , Coffler, Samantha , Grace, Sideena , Sowinski, Maddie , Sedarski, Josh , Morales-Balbuena, Raphael , McCutchen, Sydney
Institution: Hamline University
EPA Project Officer: Spatz, Kyle
Phase: I
Project Period: December 1, 2020 through November 30, 2021
Project Amount: $24,518
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2020) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Description:
This research focuses on lead contaminated drinking water in the household through the design and development of a lead detector more sensitive than current EPA standards (72.4 nM). We consider our project to be an “intermediate” step to resolving the issue of lead contaminants in drinking water. Upon success, we anticipate that our detection method will spot low levels of lead in drinking water to alert homeowners so they may act earlier to prevent high lead concentration in humans, especially children. Technical challenges include making this service accessible to the communities that need repeated lead level monitoring, making this service sustainable with regard to the use of chemistry and waste generated from the tests, and accurate and consistent determination of lead concentration.
Objective:
There are many people who are not educated about lead in water and the horrible effects it has on people. This P3 project allows students to create solutions addressing lead poisoning around the world. Students will be prepared to share this information in their school by having discussions, forums, etc. Information can also spread into communities through testing community water samples and sharing findings back in the community.
Approach:
Having an instrument that uses surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) will address all three aspects of sustainability. By detecting lead in water this project will benefit people by bringing them together to solve a serious health issue. This instrument will change the lives of people in the future by avoiding the ingestion of lead and preventing future damage of lead poisoning. Although the impact on people already affected is permanent, there is an opportunity for a future prosperous community due to reduced levels of lead in water. Having an instrument that can lead to the removal of lead from the water supply will help people currently, and those in the future have a healthier environment, and most importantly a healthy planet.
Expected Results:
The expected results of this research project will be the creation of a highly sensitive means of detecting lead pollution in drinking water. The plan is to run multiple trials of different concentrations of lead from standard solutions and create a calibration curve to accurately measure unknown samples of water in the field. This will be completed using a sandwich assay model using SERS as the primary method of detection. The trial samples will be measured using Hamline’s Raman microscope from its Chemistry Department.
This proposed lead detector is an intermediate step in the efforts to stop lead from harming communities. The detector will not stop lead from entering the water system but rather will warn the user if the water tested is contaminated with lead. This is a preventative and diagnostic measure that can educate communities on the quality of their water and help them determine if action needs to be taken to fix their existing infrastructure. With the extremely low levels of detection SERS offers, we can warn communities whose contaminated water may go unnoticed, and stop lead related issues in children, and the community as a whole.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 4 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
water conservation, drinking water, drinking water, treatment technologies, groundwater remediationProgress 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.