Water Treatment Technology (Archive)

Archive note: This page documents the Water Treatment Technology thrust that was active from the lab's founding through 2022. Active research has since evolved into the Separations Technologies group. The publications below remain among the lab's most-cited work.

Research Overview

The Water Treatment Technology thrust investigated the chemical and biological processes that govern the formation, fate, and removal of contaminants in drinking water and wastewater treatment systems. Our foundational contributions spanned advanced oxidation processes (AOP), chlorination byproduct kinetics, UV photolysis, and ozone-based treatment, with applications to municipal drinking water utilities.

This work established the lab's expertise in reaction kinetics, analytical chemistry, and bench-to-pilot-scale experimentation — a foundation that continues to inform our current separations and sensing research.

Past Projects

CompletedNSF

Chloramination Byproduct Formation Kinetics

Systematic characterization of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and haloacetamide formation during chloramination of secondary effluent, as a function of DOM composition and operational conditions.

CompletedEPA

UV/H₂O₂ Advanced Oxidation for Trace Organic Removal

Bench and pilot-scale evaluation of UV/H₂O₂ AOP for pharmaceutical and personal care product removal, including quantum yield determination and scavenger effects.

CompletedAWWARF

Ozone-Biofiltration for Taste and Odor Control

Pilot-scale demonstration of ozone-biofiltration sequences for removal of geosmin, MIB, and cyanotoxins in drinking water treatment, with lifecycle cost analysis.

CompletedIndustry

Coagulation Optimization for NOM Removal

Statistical modeling of coagulant dose optimization as a function of source water NOM fractionation, turbidity, and seasonal variability.

Selected Publications

NDMA Formation during Chloramination of Tertiary-Treated Wastewater: Role of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen Zhang, P., Taylor, Q., & [PI Name]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2022. doi:10.1021/acs.est.2cXXXXX
Quantum Yield and Reaction Kinetics of UV/H₂O₂ Treatment of Trace Pharmaceuticals in Surface Water Green, R. & [PI Name]. Water Research, 2021. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2021.XXXXXX
Pilot-Scale Ozone-Biofiltration for Geosmin and MIB Removal: Kinetics and Cost Implications [PI Name], Zhang, P., & Anderson, S. J. American Water Works Association, 2020. doi:10.1002/awwa.XXXXXX
NOM Characterization and Coagulant Dose Prediction with Fluorescence Excitation-Emission Matrices Taylor, Q. & [PI Name]. Water Research, 2019. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2019.XXXXXX
Haloacetamide Formation from Amino Acids during Chlorination: Structural and pH Effects [PI Name]. Environmental Science & Technology, 2018. doi:10.1021/acs.est.8cXXXXX

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