Submitted by Laura Lammers on
Increased nutrient loading in waste receiving water bodies, such as the outfall of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) and rivers that receive agricultural runoff, has led to accelerated primary production of plants and algae, or eutrophication. Symptoms include increased algal bloom activity, accumulation of organic matter, and excessive oxygen consumption that results in fish kills (Paerl, 2006). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering establishing nutrient numeric endpoints, effectively reducing nutrient discharge limits for sensitive ecosystems and waterways. However, many WWTPs do not meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits, and WWTPs are not currently designed with nitrogen and phosphorus recovery in mind as their primary treatment objectives.
This project aims to quantify kinetic growth rates of phosphate-based minerals under chemostat conditions. Maintaining chemostat conditions will allow us to determine the effects of various water quality parameters, such as solution chemistry, supersaturation, temperature, and ionic strength, on the growth rates of phosphate minerals that are commonly found to precipitate from wastewaters. In order to develop implementable nutrient recovery technologies, an efficient design is necessary. A proper understanding of process kinetics and estimation is critical to reactor design and optimization of process conditions. Many studies have been published that investigate the efficiency of struvite precipitation to recover phosphate from wastewater treatment.
Student will aid in performing experiments and learn analytical methods used to analyze chemical compounds in solution using ion chromatography.
Have taken introductory chemistry and/or environmental science course. Interest in water issues and willingness to fail, learn, and ask questions. Lab experience preferred but not required.