Grantee Research Project Results
Containment of Highly Concentrated Arsenic-laden Spent Regenerant on the Indian Subcontinent
EPA Grant Number: SU833178Title: Containment of Highly Concentrated Arsenic-laden Spent Regenerant on the Indian Subcontinent
Investigators: Sengupta, Arup K. , Blaney, Lee M. , Gupta, Anirban
Current Investigators: Sengupta, Arup K. , Blaney, Lee M. , Gupta, Anirban , Ghosh, Debabrata , Greenleaf, John , Alam, Morshed , Chatterjee, Prasun , Sarkar, Sudipta
Institution: Lehigh University , Bengal Engineering & Science University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 30, 2007 through May 31, 2009
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Nanotechnology , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Description:
Due to the extensive amount and appalling degree of arsenic poisoning on the Indian subcontinent, there is a need to prevent future crises from occurring. With the advent of numerous arsenic selective sorbent media and other arsenic-removal technologies, the major environmental challenge lies not in removing dissolved arsenic from contaminated groundwater but in attaining safe, long-term disposal of arsenic-laden sludges. Safe disposal and containment of wastes would reduce the amount of toxic waste generated, prevent leaching of arsenic into soil and groundwater supplies, and allow for a more secure public. With arsenic becoming a contaminant of concern in the US due to a decreased maximum contaminant level, proper disposal and preclusion of leachability in landfills provides opportunity for profit.
Several research tasks will be performed to quantify current arsenic containment measures and to verify the capabilities of the proposed project towards arsenic disposal. Subsequent to laboratory analysis of arsenic-laden sludges and determination of ideal disposal conditions, a reactor and disposal site will be constructed in West Bengal, India. The results of the proposed research tasks will be evaluated according to standard methods for chemical analyses, such as USEPA TCLP, and will be demonstrated through decreased arsenic leaching from sludges and disposal sites.
Finally the P3 concepts will be utilized as the M.S. project for the major co-investigator listed above; however, the project may also be employed as part of the Lehigh University undergraduate Capstone design project. Furthermore, certain students will be chosen from Bengal Engineering & Science University to complete work on this project.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:
adsorbent regeneration, arsenic, arsenic containment, Bangladesh, detoxification, groundwater protection, hazardous waste, heavy metals, India, leachate, particulates, pollution prevention, spent regenerant, sustainability toxics, waste minimization, waste reduction,, Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Geographic Area, Water, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Technology for Sustainable Environment, International, Sustainable Environment, Arsenic, Water Pollutants, control technologies, heavy metals, arsenic sequestration, pollution prevention, sorbent, groundwater, sustainable development, hazardous waste, IndiaRelevant Websites:
Phase 2 AbstractProgress and Final Reports:
P3 Phase II:
Containment of Highly Concentrated Arsenic-laden Spent Regenerant on the Indian Subcontinent | 2008 Progress Report | 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.