Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: From Pollution To Possibility: A Sustainable And Interdisciplinary Solution To Biodiesel Production Wastewater
EPA Grant Number: SU835314Title: From Pollution To Possibility: A Sustainable And Interdisciplinary Solution To Biodiesel Production Wastewater
Investigators: Crumrine, David , Coffman, Elizabeth A. , Krogh, Marilyn C. , Tuchman, Nancy C. , Lishawa, Shane C. , Eames, James Marshall , Frendreis, John P. , Hage, Adam , Orozco-Perez, Alejandro , Gonzalez, Alex , Dixon, Alexander , White, Amber , Monks, Andrew , Purcell, Caitlin , Amick, Daniel , Treering, David , Upp, David , Kerr, Dylan , Carroll, Emily , Throop, Erin , Ebbesmeyer, Erin , Gorman, Jacqueline , Kelso, Jennifer , Kamberos, Joseph , Harbison, Justin , Coghlan, Katelyn , Knuckolls, Kathryn , Vogel, Kirsten , Vail, Lane , Cain, Louis , Bagwell, Madeline , Reinke, Martin , Centeno, Melissa , Cinar, Mine , Maiya, Preksha , Hart-Winter, Rachel , Anglin, Roberta , McDowell, Sarah , Hoang, Tham , Hoellein, Timothy , Seed, Timothy , Waickman, Zach , Waichman, Zach
Institution: Loyola University of Chicago
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2012 through August 14, 2013
Project Amount: $14,999
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
We used our Phase-I award to 1) advance the overarching goal of the Loyola University Chicago Biodiesel Lab (LUCBP), to become the first- of-its-kind, zero-waste, sustainable biodiesel production facility in the United States and 2) to train and transform undergraduates through our experiential and interdisciplinary Solutions To Environmental Problems (STEP): Water course. Specifically, through this award, we achieved the following objectives: 1) designed, built, and conducted scientific research on a living and environmentally benign systems to purify biodiesel wash-water (BWW); 2) partnered with local biodiesel labs to replicate and test the effectiveness of our living technologies; 3) provided LUC students with invaluable scientific research and design experience testing the different components of a living machine, measuring chemistry throughout the treatment process, evaluating and enhancing the water treatment process, and designing the waste-water treatment system; 4) worked with LUC’s Center for Math and Science Education to train ~100 Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers on water quality and sustainability modules, resulting in sustainability education reaching thousands of underprivileged, inner-city K-12 students; 5) created a marketing and outreach campaign that includes: a documentary film on the project, active marketing events on campus, presentations at LUC’s student research symposium, and scientific meetings.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Twenty-two LUC students completed 8 interdisciplinary team research and communications projects: Determined the chemical composition of BWW; investigated Sphagnum moss’s capacity to neutralize BWW pH; evaluated the oil-seed producing salt marsh plant (Salicornia bigelovii) tolerance of BWW; determined the toxicity of BWW on invertebrates, moss, and vascular plants; determined the pH necessary and methods required to remove free-fatty acids (FFAs) from BWW; investigated the use of CO2 to neutralize BWW and determined the potential for utilizing biodiesel exhaust as a CO2 source for the neutralization process; designed, built and tested a methanol distillation unit for use with BWW and; wrote and filmed a documentary of the LUCBP P3 project. The results of this varied research will directly benefit the environment, people, and the economy by preventing the dumping of 227L/year of toxic methanol and 41L/year of toxic FFAs from our production facility, will reduce methanol exposure of students, faculty, and staff, and will result in over $250 in annual cost recovery. These positive sustainability impacts will be greatly compounded through our outreach education efforts to partner schools and biodiesel producers.
Conclusions:
Our Phase I project has successfully served the needs of people, prosperity, and the planet and has allowed us to determine the baseline data and waste treatment methods necessary to implement a more ambitious Phase-II project. The success of Phase-I has depended upon the large committed team of interdisciplinary faculty, passionate student body, and supportive administration.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 3 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
alternative energy, atmosphere, biodiesel, carbon dioxide, chemistry, Chicago, clean technology, communications, conservation, documentary, ecology, education, emissions, EPA Region 5, food processing, global climate, Great Lakes, halophyte, human health, K-12, lab, Midwest, policy analysis, pollution prevention, public forum, production, renewable, Salicornia, sulfur oxides, sustainable, transportation, waste reduction, waste vegetable oil, waste water.Relevant Websites:
News Stories:
- The biodiesel lab was featured as the 2013 Chicago Magazine Green Award, given to Nancy Tuchman: “Why the Next Big Environmental Breakthrough Could Start in Chicago: Six years after establishing a biodiesel lab in the city, Nancy Tuchman is launching
- Loyola’s new Institute of Environmental Sustainability.” Chicago Magazine article: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/April-2013/2013-Green-Awards-Nancy-Tuchman Exit
- The biodiesel lab was featured in an article in the Loyola Phoenix: “Behind the scenes: An inside look at Loyola’s biodiesel lab.” November 6, 2012. http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/behind-the-scenes-an-inside-look-at-loyolas-biodiesel-lab Exit
- The STEP: Water course was featured in an article in the Loyola Phoenix: Water refill stations ‘save’ more than 370,000 plastic bottles: October, 24 2012. http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/water-refill-stations-save-more-than-370000-plastic-bottles Exit
Websites:
- STEP:http://www.luc.edu/sustainability/academics/step/ Exit
- STEP:Water: http://www.luc.edu/sustainability/academics/step/water/index.shtml Exit
- Biodiesel: http://www.luc.edu/sustainability/student-opportunities/biodiesel/ Exit
- STEP:Biodiesel: http://www.luc.edu/sustainability/student-opportunities/biodiesel/step/ Exit
- LUC Institute for Environmental Sustainability: http://www.luc.edu/sustainability/index.shtml Exit
P3 Phase II:
From Pollution to Possibility: A Sustainable and Interdisciplinary Solution to Biodiesel Production WastewaterThe 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.