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Reducing Toxicity, Sequestration, and Degradation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAs)
01 Sep 2023 | | Contributor(s):: Gokhan Mutcali, Daniel Rivera, NEWT Center
Per- and Polyflyoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that are commonly used everyday. Consumers are exposed to these by consuming contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS or breathing contaminated air. This project focuses on the...
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UV-C Inhibition of Biofilm in Space Habitation Water Systems
01 Sep 2023 | | Contributor(s):: Milton Johnson, Ken Niimi, NEWT Center, Rice University
Bacterial biofilms occur everywhere water sources as present, including the international Space Station (ISS). These can lead to water contamination and potential health effects for astronauts. This study utilized an inexpensive and chemical free approach to sanitazing space habitats by...
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Sustainable and Energy Efficient Removal of PFAS-Saturated Granular Activated Carbon
31 Aug 2023 | | Contributor(s):: Melody Jenkins, Sara Denison, Rice University, NEWT Center
Currently water treatment plants remove toxic PFAs using granular activated carbon (GAC) but have no sustainable process for disposing PFAS. Our approach focuses on the successful removal and destruction of PFAs in GAC preventing contaminants from entering back into the environment & uses...
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Raphael N Ogbodo
https://nanohub.org/members/404680
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How to Remove Metals from Water with Polymers
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Gerardo Lopez, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
Heavy metals in our water sources have been an ongoing contamination issue that has been growing, especially since the industrialization era. Methods such as adsorption have been previously developed to try to remove these metals from the water in the most cost-effective and as efficiently...
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Mr. Waters Takes a Bath at the NEWT Water Treatment Facility
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Melissa Mason, Rice University, NEWT Center
Antimicrobial drinking water has improved over the years with less deaths from water contamination. Scientists and engineers have developed methods to produce larger volumes of water. However, to produce volumes of purified drinking water to accommodate billions of people is an everyday...
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Keep Our Dirty Clean
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Leonel Resendiz, Rice University, NEWT Center
Pyrolytic treated of contaminated clay (bentonite) impregnated with iron and copper have shown promise as a viable route to the treatment of crude-oil contaminated soils including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are a class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil,...
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Making a Self-Cleaning Anti-Scale Coating for Water Treatment Systems
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Mariana Quinn, Rice University, NEWT Center
How are Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) used in water treatment? This research focuses on harnessing the electrical properties of Carbon Nanotubes in order to create a coat that prevents scale and biofilm buildup in water treatment systems.
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Forever Chemical Gone Forever Using Nanotechnology By Converting PFAS Into Graphene Nanoparticles
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Robert Garza, Rice University
Forever chemicals are in a class of chemicals commonly known as PFAS (Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances). These chemicals are found in items such as microwave popcorn and fast food containers. Consequently, they are now being found in drinking water causing health problems such as a...
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Designing a System that will Prevent Membrane Fouling in the Event of a Power Outage
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Enrique Gomez, University of Texas - El Paso, NEWT Center
This project focuses on finding a solution to prevent membrane fouling in the CERRO units located at the lower valley plants in the event of a power outage. Power outages are common in the 79907 area of El Paso, Texas especially during the summer season. In the event of a power...
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Cleaning Household Greywater for Reuse as Toilet Water
21 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Elliot Hall, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
Freshwater is becoming scarce while we use it as a limitless resource. Roughly 30% of our daily water usage is from toilets. Our project, funded by Gate Foundation is to recycle household greywater, clean it, and reuse it in toilets. In this work, the physical foam fractionation is...
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TiO2 Everywhere!
20 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Tabatha Schacht, University of Texas - El Paso, NEWT Center
How much Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is present in the water we drink? This research focuses on terephthalic acid (TPA) and UV light in order to detect the levels of TiO2 present in drinking water and thus ensuring the levels are within the safe parameters of consumption.
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Removal of PFOAS & Nitrate From Waste Water
20 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Sheena Carbaugh, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
How do per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs or PFOAs) and nitrates affect the food we consume? This study focuses on how naturally occurring PFAs/PFOAs and nitrates, which are harmful when consumed in large quantities, can be removed via biodegradation.
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Using UV-C LEDs for Water Disinfection
20 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Scott Currier, Arizona State University, NEWT Center
Biofilms can develop over treated water causing harm to humans. This project focuses on utilizing UV-C LEDs for disinfection of stored water.
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Desalination and Brackish Water
20 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Christina Pasillas, University of Texas- El Paso, NEWT Center
What is Electrocoagulation? This study focuses on utilizing Electrocoagulation in the removal of colloidal silica particles and thus improving the Reverse Osmosis (RO) recovery rate in brackish water.
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Size Matters
20 Aug 2022 | | Contributor(s):: Michael Sang, Yale University, NEWT Center
How can Iron nanoparticles be used for cleaning water? This research focuses on utilizing 8nm Iron (Fe) nanoparticles for cleaning water by testing different surfactants to stop these nanocrystals (NCs) from aggregating and thus keeping small and separate as possible.
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Now You See It, Once Filtered, Hope You Don't
07 Jul 2021 | | Contributor(s):: Patricia Kuberra, NNCI Nano
Water is a valuable natural resource and resides in multiple reservoirs: the cryosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. Water quality is often jeopardized by various contaminants but can be improved by removing contaminants from the water whether they are macro (dirt and debris,) micro...
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Selective Microbial Control in Drinking Water Systems Using Bacteriophages Conjugated with Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles
12 Jan 2021 | | Contributor(s):: Laurel Bingman, NEWT Center
This whiteboard video is designed to engage K-12 students in high-level nanotechnology research. Bacteriophages have been studied for decades as a possible treatment for bacterial diseases. Now, scientists are trying to use them for the purpose of water treatment. Show students this...
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The Effect of Sulfidation on Solubility of Silver Nanoparticles On Water Treatment Membranes
12 Jan 2021 | | Contributor(s):: Richard Daines, NEWT Center
This whiteboard video is designed to engage K-12 students in high-level nanotechnology research. Biofouling hinders water treatment membranes. Coating them with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) increases their antimicrobial biofouling resistance. Unfortunately, AgNPs are soluble,...
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NEWT Center
At the NEWT Engineering Research Center, we use nanotechnology to develop water treatment systems. Our goal is to protect human lives and support sustainable economic development with our technology.
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