Reimagining Wastewater
Funding Year: 2019
Research Areas: Freshwater
Regions: North America
Untreated discharges of human excreta threaten aquatic ecosystems and human health. Moving toward a system in which every waste stream is mined for maximal value and minimal environmental impacts is hampered by adherence to centralized wastewater treatment, which exhibits a slow rate of adoption, is poorly suited for remote and resource- constrained communities, and requires considerable energy and greenhouse gases emissions.
This project will advance a novel biological-electrochemical treatment approach that can be adapted widely, requires less energy and emissions, and produces ammonium sulfate fertilizer and potable water. The research team will investigate this solution at molecular, process and systems scales, with the aim of accelerating its adoption by attracting interest from wastewater utilities and sanitation service providers.
Learn more about the Environmental Venture Projects grant program and other funded projects.
Principal Investigators:
William Tarpeh (Chemical Engineering)
Craig Criddle (Civil & Environmental Engineering)
David Lobell (Earth Systems Science, Center for Food Security and the Environment)
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