Seminar Series Archive

Kun Zhang is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Marquette University. His research aims to understand the impact of urban drainage infrastructure on the hydrologic environment and explore solutions to increase the performance and resilience of urban drainage infrastructure.

Abstract

Urban surface-subsurface hydrology: characterization and management practices

Urbanization increases impervious cover, which transforms slow environmental flows into fast stormflows and results in urban stream syndrome. Meanwhile, urban drainage infrastructure dissects the subsurface and induces artificial controls on storage-discharge characteristics of the watershed and the streamflow regime by draining infiltrated stormwater and groundwater or leaking water into the subsurface (i.e., rainfall-derived inflow and infiltration, RDII). Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), as nature-based best management practices to urban stormwater problems, can potentially reduce the hydrologic impact of urbanization. To better characterize urban surface-subsurface hydrology, a physical-based hydrologic model was built to quantify RDII; and data-based analysis was performed to quantify the fraction of RDII in urban hydrologic cycle and study the effect of RDII on streamflow recession in urban watersheds. In addition, experimental, monitoring and modeling approaches were used to investigate the hydrologic performance of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) in shallow groundwater environment.

Dr. Jacob Jones is a Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at NC State University, Director and Principal Investigator of the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center (www.steps-center.org, an NSF STC), and Director and Principal Investigator of the Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (www.rtnn.org, an NSF NNCI site). Jones received his PhD from Purdue University in 2004, after which he completed an international postdoctoral fellowship from the National Science Foundation at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He was an Assistant and Associate Professor in the Department of MSE at the University of Florida from 2006-2013 and joined NC State in 2013. Jones’ research interests involve developing a fundamental understanding of inorganic materials during their synthesis and use, e.g. through the use of in situ synchrotron Xray scattering experiments. Jones has published over 269 papers (h-index=52, GoogleScholar) on these topics. Jones is a Fellow of the IEEE Society and the American Ceramic Society and has received numerous awards for his research and education activities, including an NSF CAREER award, a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Obama, the NC State College of Engineering George H. Blessis Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award, and the 2019 NC State Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award.

Abstract

STEPS: A Convergence Research Center for Phosphorus Sustainability

Phosphorus (P) is a critical component of cellular structures like DNA and processes like energy transfer and underpins the productivity of food systems as a key nutrient in fertilizers. Yet many challenges exist around the availability, application, management, and disposal or reuse of P: P is sourced from non-renewable phosphate rock, is inefficiently utilized in food systems, and accumulates in terrestrial systems such as soils and freshwater sources, the latter of which causes harmful algal blooms and hypoxia of marine life. Without intervention, the environmental, economic, and sustainability issues involving phosphorus will escalate with continued world population growth. In fact, a paradigm shift is needed in how we discover and develop materials, technologies, and strategies to control, recover, reuse, and manage phosphorus such that the solutions can have a transformative impact on improving the circularity of the P cycle.

This seminar will introduce the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, a recently announced, NSF-supported Science and Technology Center (STC). STEPS is a convergence research center that addresses the complex challenges in phosphorus sustainability by integrating disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences. STEPS draws from atomic and molecular insights (e.g., chemistry, materials research, biochemistry, bioengineering) to develop materials and technologies that are deployed at the human scale (e.g., environmental and agricultural engineering, plant biology, crop and soil sciences) while considering supply-chain logistics, life cycle, and other regional and global issues (e.g., ecology, economics, sociology, policy). STEPS further leverages disciplinary contributions that transcend length scales and serve as integration mechanisms within the Center (e.g., science of team science, data science). Some very early work undertaken by STEPS will be highlighted, using an example project by the presenter involving the use of metal oxides and related materials for phosphorus sorption.

Dr. Anna M. Wilson is the Field Research Manager with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She earned her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Duke University in 2016. Her current research interests are in supporting the development of physically based, accurate representations of atmospheric rivers and other extreme events in forecasts and projections, in support of science-based resource management strategies. Her responsibilities include overseeing ground-based field programs in California and coordinating airborne field campaigns over the northeast Pacific.

Abstract

Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations: Developing an Adaptive, Science Based Proposed Water Management Strategy

Many reservoirs are operated to provide both water supply and flood control, while balancing environmental needs and other considerations. Most are operated using rules established when streamflow forecasts had very low skill and thus are not allowable inputs into daily operations. However, with advances in weather prediction skill, forecasts today may be skillful enough to enable their use. Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) tests the viability of this possibility along the US West Coast where the needs are great and where predictive skill has emerged for the dominant storm type – atmospheric rivers. A cross-disciplinary, multi-agency steering committee formed to evaluate FIRO viability at a pilot reservoir in northern California. This study showed such positive early results that a deviation request to test the ideas through real-world reservoir operations was submitted to USACE. The pilot reservoir has now operated successfully for two winters under a deviation, and an update to the water control manual is underway. Similar assessments are ongoing at three additional sites chosen to represent a wide range of locations. This presentation summarizes the partnership between research and operations at FIRO’s core, methods used to advance AR predictive skill, the data collection and monitoring efforts supporting FIRO goals, and the current status of existing viability assessments. 

Professor Giammar is the Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Giammar's research focuses on chemical reactions that affect the fate and transport of heavy metals, radionuclides, and other inorganic constituents in natural and engineered aquatic systems. His recent work has investigated the removal of arsenic and chromium from drinking water, control of the corrosion of lead pipes, geologic carbon sequestration, and biogeochemical processes for remediation of uranium-contaminated sites. His research has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and Water Research Foundation. Professor Giammar is currently an Associate Editor of Environmental Science & Technology. Professor Giammar completed his B.S. at Carnegie Mellon University, M.S. and Ph.D. at Caltech, and postdoctoral training at Princeton University before joining Washington University in St. Louis in 2002. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Missouri.

Abstract

The End of the Pipe: Controlling and Monitoring Lead in Tap Water

The legacy of lead-containing materials used for water supply poses challenges to tap water quality. In contrast to drinking water contaminants that have their origins in the source water and can be removed at a treatment plant, the source of lead in drinking water is the pipe that connects a home to the water main and the plumbing within the home. Concentrations of lead in tap water are governed by the chemical reactions between the water in the pipe and the scale of solid phases that develops on the inner surface of the pipe. Perturbations of the water chemistry have resulted in high profile crises of lead in drinking water (e.g., Washington, DC and Flint, Michigan). However, adjustment of the water chemistry is also a lever that can be used to minimize lead release to drinking water. The effectiveness of orthophosphate as a corrosion inhibitor and its impact on the composition and structure of pipe scales was evaluated in a series of bench-scale experiments with lead pipes that evaluated the responses of lead pipes to a change in disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramine. More recent work on lead interactions with point-of-use filters will also be presented with respect to using these filters as monitoring tools for lead in tap water and to the ability of lead phosphate particles to transport through filters at particular water chemistry conditions.

The Challenge of Describing Natural and Urban Ecosystems: From Modeling Forests to the Design of Green Cities

Stormwater Management in Urban Watersheds: Connecting Local Decision Making to Environmental Outcomes

Removal and Recovery of Soluble Non-Reactive Phosphorus Compounds Using Phosphate-Selective Binding Proteins

Treavor Boyer is a Professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE) at ASU and is Program Chair for Environmental Engineering at ASU. His research interests span water quality and treatment with numerous projects on innovative applications of ion exchange technology such as PFAS removal from impacted water and nutrient recovery from source separated urine. Prof. Boyer is the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award entitled “Sustainable Urine Processes through Integration of Education and Research (SUPER).” Prof. Boyer is actively engaged in professional service activities including the Board of Directors for AEESP and editor at Water Research. Prof. Boyer earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in environmental engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida. Prof. Boyer was previously a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida.

Abstract

Building-scale implementation of urine diversion: Radical change in incremental steps

The current approach to wastewater management wastes valuable resources—potable water, fertilizer quality nutrients, and energy, while at the same time pollutes the biosphere with excess nutrients, contaminants of emerging concern, and greenhouse gases. The current failure of wastewater management is attributable to combining disparate waste streams (e.g., greywater and urine) and a ‘one size fits all’ approach to treatment. Of the waste streams that compose wastewater, urine accounts for approximately 1% of wastewater by volume yet urine contributes greater than 50% by mass of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and pharmaceuticals to wastewater. As such, urine diversion has been proposed as a more sustainable alternative to conventional wastewater management because it has the potential to conserve water and energy, recover nutrients for fertilizer, and protect ecological and human health from trace contaminants. Despite the promises of urine diversion and treatment, it has not been widely implemented because of an absence of engineering strategies that are efficient in contaminant removal, practical to implement, and acceptable to society. This presentation will highlight ongoing work in our group that seeks to advance both the basic understanding and practical implementation of urine diversion. Topics to be discussed include urine collection and storage, nutrient recovery technologies, implementation in buildings, life cycle environmental impacts, and stakeholder perceptions.

William Loftus has spent his entire career developing engineering solutions for private sector developers in the greater Chicago Metropolitan area.  He graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1986.  He obtained his Professional Engineering License in 1991.  He has been serving as the President of SPACECO, Inc. since 2000.  He served as an Advisory Board Member for Marquette’s School of Construction Engineering from 2008 to 2019.  He currently chairs Marquette’s School of Real Estate Advisory Board.

Presentation Title: The Evolution of Stormwater Management in the City of Chicago

Ms. Nicole Heyniger is a master’s student in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at Marquette University. She received her B.S. in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Environmental Engineering from Marquette University in 2020. Her MS research focuses on using multiple wavelength ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LED) for the degradation of antibiotic resistance and genes compared to conventional low-pressure UV treatment.

Abstract

Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for the Targeted Degradation of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria and Genes

The presence of potentially harmful antibiotic resistant microorganisms (and their related antibiotic resistance genes) in water is a major public health concern. Both clinically and financially, antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes pose a risk to health care systems. Although naturally occurring, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics has exacerbated this issue due to anthropogenic activity. Active development of advanced water treatment technologies is ongoing to address these concerns. One possible technology to mitigate the hazards of antibiotic resistance is ultraviolet (UV) treatment, including UV light emitting diodes, or UV-LED. UV-LED is an emerging treatment technology that produces multiple peak wavelengths that can be used to target DNA and proteins. This presentation will highlight current research that addresses how effective UV-LED is at mitigating antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes, compared to conventional low-pressure UV treatment. Other topics to be discussed include the current state of technology, energy requirements for each system, and applications.  

Grace Scarim is a second-year master's student at Marquette University where she also completed her undergraduate degree in June of 2020. Grace is specializing in Environmental Engineering and studying activated sludge foaming for her thesis research. 

Abstract

Activated Sludge Foaming Descriptors and Correlation to Microbial Community Composition

Activated sludge is a conventional treatment process for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal at water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). A common operational issue that arises is activated sludge foaming on top of the aeration basin and secondary clarifier. Foaming events in activated sludge may lead to decreased treatment efficiency, maintenance issues, and potential environmental health risks. Foaming events are caused by biological and chemical drivers (i.e., microbes and surfactants) during the aeration process. However, foaming events are difficult to predict and quantify. This research developed an inexpensive and easy-to-use method to quantify foaming potential that can be applied at WRRFs. Subsequently, the novel technique was applied to investigate the microbial community composition and functional parameters associated with foaming potential from activated sludge samples at South Shore Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) in Oak Creek, WI, USA. Results from the development of the foaming potential method using linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and wastewater samples showed that the method is reproducible and able to capture changes in foam inducing constituents. Using full-scale activated sludge samples from South Shore WRF, the following genera were identified as the foam forming microbes for foaming events: Zoogloea, Flavobacterium, Variovorx, and Bdellovibrio. This is the first report that Variovorx and Bdellovibrio are correlated with foaming events in activated sludge. Furthermore, the foaming potential significantly (p ≤ 0.05) positively correlated with soluble total nitrogen and negatively correlated with TSS/VSS. Characterizing foaming events through frequent sampling in activated sludge will allow for prediction and mitigation efforts by monitoring the microbial community composition and functional parameters.

Faten Hussein is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Marquette University under the supervision of Dr. Brooke Mayer. She received her B.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Jordan and received her M.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Faten’s Masters research focused on arsenic removal from drinking water using polyurethane nanocomposite. Currently, her research focuses on nutrient removal and recovery using a bio-based material for phosphorus capture and controlled release.

Abstract

Phosphate-binding protein for removal and recovery of phosphorous from water

Inorganic phosphorus (P_i) is an important element for living organisms’ growth. The continuous demand for mining non-renewable phosphate rock is accelerating to meet the needs of fertilizer manufacturing, which is applied for crop production. Yet, phosphorus is considered a pollutant when excess amounts enter water streams and cause eutrophication. Together, these two problems lead to the phosphorus paradox, and addressing this issue is crucial and can be assisted using innovative approaches targeting P_i removal to ultra-low levels and subsequent recovery for reuse applications. A novel bio-based technique is proposed to reversibly capture inorganic phosphorus using a high-affinity phosphate-binding protein (PBP). Immobilized PBP systems are being developed and evaluated for potential phosphorus removal and recovery under various experimental conditions. The presentation will focus on PBP attachment using micro-structured organic beads and nano-structured magnetic beads. Moreover, evaluating the performance analysis toward P_i removal and recovery in lab-scale fixed-bed column and batch setups.

Junko Munakata Marr is Professor and Department Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado School of Mines. She earned her BS in Chemical Engineering from Caltech and her MS and PhD in Civil Engineering from Stanford. Her research interests revolve around microorganisms in engineered environmental systems, including biological wastewater treatment and methanogenesis from unconventional sources. Other interests include engineering education and sustainable community development. She previously served as Chair of the Environmental Engineering Division of ASEE and is currently serving on the AEESP Board of Directors.

Abstract

Aerobic activated sludge paradigm for treating domestic wastewater

Conventional wastewater treatment processes are energy intensive. Anaerobic technologies do not require aeration, which can account for up to half of a facility’s energy consumption. Pilot-scale bioreactors have demonstrated the effectiveness of anaerobic baffled reactors (ABR) for raw domestic wastewater treatment. These systems consume significantly less energy than conventional wastewater treatment because the anaerobic approach eliminates the need for added oxygen. Additionally, biogas produced in the ABR may be collected and used for energy, and no wasting of solids has been needed in six years of operation of one pilot-scale ABR. The EPA secondary standard for total suspended solids (TSS) of 30 mg/L is consistently met by the ABR, but the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) target of 30 mg/L is only achieved at warmer temperatures. Microbial community analysis indicates that methanogen populations were relatively consistent and that increased methane production at higher temperatures was likely predominantly due to faster kinetics. Microbial communities in a newly seeded ABR diverged from that of the seeding reactor during a period of numerous reactor startup disruptions but eventually converged. These results demonstrate the potential of the ABR for robust enhanced primary treatment of domestic wastewater.

Dr. Nicoll has extensive experience in a variety of environmental, health and safety (EHS) endeavors, including industrial facilities, nuclear research facilities, chemical laboratories and machine shops. While at AECOM, Dr. Nicoll has conducted EHS audits, assisted with H&S program design and implementation, taught radiation safety training, completed EMF studies and reviews, conducted Phase I ESAs, developed PSM and RMP programs, designed mechanical integrity programs, conducted safety training, and many other EHS and process safety related endeavors. She is well-versed in regulatory compliance from both an environmental and H&S standpoint, including OSHA, EPA, NEPA, CERCLA, EPCRA/SARA, NEC, NRC, CFATS, and NFPA. She is also familiar with international regulations, including ICNIRP, WHO, and ISO standards.

Abstract

Environmental Impacts of Long-Term Disinfectant Use

The pandemic resulted in increased use of disinfectants and sanitizers in the workplace. The increased use of these products has implications beyond the pandemic. Chemical disinfectants belong to a variety of groups - we'll discuss the chemical structures and long-term effects of each type, then look at recently-published research investigating the impacts on the environment. We’ll also evaluate implications for occupational exposure and appropriate selection of chemical disinfectants. 

Chuck Gerba is a professor in the Departments Environmental Science, Biosystems Engineering (College of Life Sciences and Agriculture), and Community and Environmental Health (College of Public Health) at the University of Arizona.  He has been an author on more than 700 articles including several books in environmental microbiology. He conducts research on the contamination and control of pathogens by foods, water, and indoor environments. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy of Microbiology, and the International Water Association. He received the McKee Award for groundwater protection research from the Water Environment Federation in 1996 and the AP Black Research Award from the American Water Works Association in 1997. In 2020 he received the Water Heroes Award from the Water Environment Federation for his work on SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract

Pathogenic Microorganisms in Wastewater Reuse – the Forever Contaminates

Microbial pathogens are always present in wastewater and must be reduced to levels that no longer present a public health threat. In addition to waterborne pathogens (transmitted by the fecal oral route) treatment processes or distribution may result in risks from water-based pathogens (pathogens capable of growing in the water or compost). Waterborne pathogens include viruses, bacteria protozoa, and helminths. Enteric viruses and protozoa are generally more resistant to removal by treatment process and disinfectants than enteric bacteria. Recent advances in the molecular detection of viruses indicates that the number of types and concentrations are greater than previously believed. In the last 20 years more than 50 new viruses have been discovered that could be transmitted by wastewater. Predicting virus removal is difficult for several reasons including viral diversity, evolution/natural selection, predictive modeling beyond the data set, and variability of full-scale treatment processes. More data is needed to validate removal at full scale systems for pathogens as laboratory and pilot plant data do not always reflect variability of virus removal.. Application of molecular detection methods and quantitative microbial risk assessment will help us better understand and manage these risks.  

Kun Zhang is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Marquette University. His research aims to understand the impact of urban drainage infrastructure on the hydrologic environment and explore solutions to increase the performance and resilience of urban drainage infrastructure.

Abstract

Urban surface-subsurface hydrology: characterization and management practices

Urbanization increases impervious cover, which transforms slow environmental flows into fast stormflows and results in urban stream syndrome. Meanwhile, urban drainage infrastructure dissects the subsurface and induces artificial controls on storage-discharge characteristics of the watershed and the streamflow regime by draining infiltrated stormwater and groundwater or leaking water into the subsurface (i.e., rainfall-derived inflow and infiltration, RDII). Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), as nature-based best management practices to urban stormwater problems, can potentially reduce the hydrologic impact of urbanization. To better characterize urban surface-subsurface hydrology, a physical-based hydrologic model was built to quantify RDII; and data-based analysis was performed to quantify the fraction of RDII in urban hydrologic cycle and study the effect of RDII on streamflow recession in urban watersheds. In addition, experimental, monitoring and modeling approaches were used to investigate the hydrologic performance of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) in shallow groundwater environment.

Dr. Jacob Jones is a Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at NC State University, Director and Principal Investigator of the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center (www.steps-center.org, an NSF STC), and Director and Principal Investigator of the Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (www.rtnn.org, an NSF NNCI site). Jones received his PhD from Purdue University in 2004, after which he completed an international postdoctoral fellowship from the National Science Foundation at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He was an Assistant and Associate Professor in the Department of MSE at the University of Florida from 2006-2013 and joined NC State in 2013. Jones’ research interests involve developing a fundamental understanding of inorganic materials during their synthesis and use, e.g. through the use of in situ synchrotron Xray scattering experiments. Jones has published over 269 papers (h-index=52, GoogleScholar) on these topics. Jones is a Fellow of the IEEE Society and the American Ceramic Society and has received numerous awards for his research and education activities, including an NSF CAREER award, a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Obama, the NC State College of Engineering George H. Blessis Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award, and the 2019 NC State Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award.

Abstract

STEPS: A Convergence Research Center for Phosphorus Sustainability

Phosphorus (P) is a critical component of cellular structures like DNA and processes like energy transfer and underpins the productivity of food systems as a key nutrient in fertilizers. Yet many challenges exist around the availability, application, management, and disposal or reuse of P: P is sourced from non-renewable phosphate rock, is inefficiently utilized in food systems, and accumulates in terrestrial systems such as soils and freshwater sources, the latter of which causes harmful algal blooms and hypoxia of marine life. Without intervention, the environmental, economic, and sustainability issues involving phosphorus will escalate with continued world population growth. In fact, a paradigm shift is needed in how we discover and develop materials, technologies, and strategies to control, recover, reuse, and manage phosphorus such that the solutions can have a transformative impact on improving the circularity of the P cycle.

This seminar will introduce the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, a recently announced, NSF-supported Science and Technology Center (STC). STEPS is a convergence research center that addresses the complex challenges in phosphorus sustainability by integrating disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences. STEPS draws from atomic and molecular insights (e.g., chemistry, materials research, biochemistry, bioengineering) to develop materials and technologies that are deployed at the human scale (e.g., environmental and agricultural engineering, plant biology, crop and soil sciences) while considering supply-chain logistics, life cycle, and other regional and global issues (e.g., ecology, economics, sociology, policy). STEPS further leverages disciplinary contributions that transcend length scales and serve as integration mechanisms within the Center (e.g., science of team science, data science). Some very early work undertaken by STEPS will be highlighted, using an example project by the presenter involving the use of metal oxides and related materials for phosphorus sorption.

Dr. Anna M. Wilson is the Field Research Manager with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She earned her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Duke University in 2016. Her current research interests are in supporting the development of physically based, accurate representations of atmospheric rivers and other extreme events in forecasts and projections, in support of science-based resource management strategies. Her responsibilities include overseeing ground-based field programs in California and coordinating airborne field campaigns over the northeast Pacific.

Abstract

Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations: Developing an Adaptive, Science Based Proposed Water Management Strategy

Many reservoirs are operated to provide both water supply and flood control, while balancing environmental needs and other considerations. Most are operated using rules established when streamflow forecasts had very low skill and thus are not allowable inputs into daily operations. However, with advances in weather prediction skill, forecasts today may be skillful enough to enable their use. Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) tests the viability of this possibility along the US West Coast where the needs are great and where predictive skill has emerged for the dominant storm type – atmospheric rivers. A cross-disciplinary, multi-agency steering committee formed to evaluate FIRO viability at a pilot reservoir in northern California. This study showed such positive early results that a deviation request to test the ideas through real-world reservoir operations was submitted to USACE. The pilot reservoir has now operated successfully for two winters under a deviation, and an update to the water control manual is underway. Similar assessments are ongoing at three additional sites chosen to represent a wide range of locations. This presentation summarizes the partnership between research and operations at FIRO’s core, methods used to advance AR predictive skill, the data collection and monitoring efforts supporting FIRO goals, and the current status of existing viability assessments. 

Professor Giammar is the Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Giammar's research focuses on chemical reactions that affect the fate and transport of heavy metals, radionuclides, and other inorganic constituents in natural and engineered aquatic systems. His recent work has investigated the removal of arsenic and chromium from drinking water, control of the corrosion of lead pipes, geologic carbon sequestration, and biogeochemical processes for remediation of uranium-contaminated sites. His research has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and Water Research Foundation. Professor Giammar is currently an Associate Editor of Environmental Science & Technology. Professor Giammar completed his B.S. at Carnegie Mellon University, M.S. and Ph.D. at Caltech, and postdoctoral training at Princeton University before joining Washington University in St. Louis in 2002. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Missouri.

Abstract

The End of the Pipe: Controlling and Monitoring Lead in Tap Water

The legacy of lead-containing materials used for water supply poses challenges to tap water quality. In contrast to drinking water contaminants that have their origins in the source water and can be removed at a treatment plant, the source of lead in drinking water is the pipe that connects a home to the water main and the plumbing within the home. Concentrations of lead in tap water are governed by the chemical reactions between the water in the pipe and the scale of solid phases that develops on the inner surface of the pipe. Perturbations of the water chemistry have resulted in high profile crises of lead in drinking water (e.g., Washington, DC and Flint, Michigan). However, adjustment of the water chemistry is also a lever that can be used to minimize lead release to drinking water. The effectiveness of orthophosphate as a corrosion inhibitor and its impact on the composition and structure of pipe scales was evaluated in a series of bench-scale experiments with lead pipes that evaluated the responses of lead pipes to a change in disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramine. More recent work on lead interactions with point-of-use filters will also be presented with respect to using these filters as monitoring tools for lead in tap water and to the ability of lead phosphate particles to transport through filters at particular water chemistry conditions.

The Challenge of Describing Natural and Urban Ecosystems: From Modeling Forests to the Design of Green Cities

Stormwater Management in Urban Watersheds: Connecting Local Decision Making to Environmental Outcomes

Removal and Recovery of Soluble Non-Reactive Phosphorus Compounds Using Phosphate-Selective Binding Proteins