Assessing Disinfection Byproduct Formation in De Facto Water Reuse
This project integrates laboratory research with water quality modeling to understand the interaction of urban-natural water cycles.
Project description
De facto reuse, the incidental presence of treated wastewater effluent in downstream drinking water supply, is increasing rapidly with urbanization worldwide. Due to their high organic nitrogen content, wastewater impacts can increase the formation of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs) during drinking water treatment. Many N-DBPs are not regulated, but feature 10–100 times higher toxicity than the regulated DBPs. In this collaborative project between University at Buffalo and Arizona State University, wastewater samples from across the nation will be sent to Buffalo and analyzed for their potential to form DBPs. The results will then be used in a nationwide water quality model to assess the extent of wastewater impacts on drinking water sources regarding disinfection byproducts.
Project outcome
The project will contribute useful data to allow modeling of the de facto reuse and its impact on drinking water treatment at the national scale.
Project details
| Length of commitment | Medium (about a semester, 3-5 months) |
| Start time | Spring, Summer |
| In-person, remote, or hybrid? | In-person |
| Level of collaboration | Undergraduate students will be working with a graduate student mentor |
| Benefits | Academic Credit, Work Study, Honors Credit |
| Who is eligible | Sophomores, juniors, seniors with a knowledge of general chemistry; laboratory experience is preferred |
Udall and Goldwater Scholarships
Students participating in this project might be interested in and eligible for the Udall Scholarship and the Goldwater Scholarship. Connect with the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships to learn more.
Project mentor
Ning Dai
Associate Professor
Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering
Start the project
- Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
- After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.)
Preparation activities
Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase.
- Lab safety training
- Prepare a 3-slide summary of 2 journal articles related to disinfection byproducts. The articles should be published in the journal of Environmental Science & Technology or Water Research after 2010. For each article, the summary should include a brief introduction of the disinfection byproducts investigated (e.g., structure and properties), the environmental relevance, and major findings.
Keywords
Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering