Grantee Research Project Results
Arsenic Removal System for Residential and Point-of-Use Applications
EPA Contract Number: 68D03062Title: Arsenic Removal System for Residential and Point-of-Use Applications
Investigators: Turchi, Craig S.
Small Business: ADA Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: October 1, 2003 through December 31, 2004
Project Amount: $225,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2003) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Water and Wastewater , Watersheds , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a severe health risk to populations throughout the world, including the United States. In recognition of this threat, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently lowered its water standard for arsenic from 50 ppb to 10 ppb. This change is expected to impact 10 percent of U.S. community drinking water systems, with the operators of small water systems and individual well water users facing the greatest challenge in meeting this new standard.
All water systems serving 25 or more users must meet the new standard for arsenic. However, systems supplying between 25 and 500 users typically are not large enough to make centralized treatment systems cost effective. Consequently, such systems often will use distributed point-of-use and point-of-entry (POU/POE) treatment units. A historic difficulty with such arrangements, particularly for home use, is determining when the device requires service?a feature required by law.
The goal of this Phase II research project is to demonstrate a compact, simple system for arsenic removal in POU/POE drinking water systems. The unit will combine a highly effective arsenic sorbent with an arsenic monitoring sensor and alarm to alert the user that the bed requires replacement. The system features ADA Technologies, Inc.'s new Amended SilicateTM sorbent, a material that exhibits long life and the ability to remove both forms of arsenic commonly found in well water.
During Phase II, ADA will refine the novel arsenate sensor proposed and assembled in Phase I. Concurrently, the Amended SilicateTM sorbent formulation will be optimized. ADA will integrate the sensor and sorbent into a compact water-treatment package. The prototype POU system then will be tested on arsenic-contaminated water in locations in southern Colorado. The goal is to provide an affordable unit with an operation as understandable as a home smoke alarm?a device that alerts when danger exists and provides peace of mind when all is well.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, EPA, arsenic, drinking water, point-of-use, point-of-entry, POU, POE, well water, small water systems, monitoring, sensor, silicate sorbent, RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Water, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Physical Processes, Risk Assessments, Environmental Chemistry, Arsenic, Drinking Water, Environmental Monitoring, Water Pollutants, human health, human exposure, point of use treatment, monitoring, contaminant removal, arsenic monitoring, exposure, water treatment, drinking water treatment, human health risk, arsenic exposure, arsenic removal, well waterProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Arsenic Removal System for Residential and Point-of-Use Applications | Final ReportThe 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.