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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Molecular Transformation and Metabolic Insights of Microbial Electrolysis Treatment and Valorization of Post-hydrothermal Liquefaction Wastewater

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) presents a promising approach for the conversion of wet waste into biocrude and biofuels. However, the post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater (PHW) poses significant challenges for treatment and valorization due to its high concentration and complex nature. In this study, we investigated the conversion pathways of major organic contaminants within the microbial electrolytic treatment of PHW from food waste HTL. To achieve this, we employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Our findings demonstrate volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and monohydric and polyhydric alcohols were effectively transformed through the synergistic metabolism of fermentative and electroactive bacteria, which led to over 70% COD removal of the recalcitrant compounds and a record high H2 production rate (1.62 L L -1 d -1 ). We also employed the liquid-state 15N NMR on wastewater samples for the first time and revealed that the nitrogen-containing heteroaromatics were persistent to microbial electrochemical treatment. By integrating the chemical profiles with bioanode community profiles, we constructed a metabolic network that provides insights for enhancing treatment efficiency and facilitating resource recovery.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Widespread deep seismicity in the Delaware Basin, Texas, is mainly driven by shallow wastewater injection

Significance The Delaware Basin, western Texas, has experienced a surge in the number of earthquakes. We investigate basin-wide earthquake, hydrogeologic, industrial, and geodetic data spanning 1993–2020 to identify the reasons for the increase. We use these data and models to quantify the stress changes from wastewater injection and hydrocarbon extraction. We demonstrate that the basin-wide seismicity is dominated by the stresses caused by shallow injection that are transmitted vertically by deforming the underlying crust. We analyze both injection and production data to understand how subsurface properties control earthquake locations and timings. We suggest that injecting wastewater into porous formations will minimize seismic hazard. We establish a framework explaining why earthquakes sometimes occur and sometimes do not occur within human activity-impacted areas.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterizing manufacturing wastewater in the United States for the purpose of analyzing energy requirements for reuse

This paper seeks to inform an improved understanding of the energy tradeoff associated with on-site manufacturing water reuse in the United States from a lifecycle perspective, in part by developing an analytical framework for understanding when this tradeoff for reuse is beneficial. We survey the literature to assess the current state of reuse and its motives and barriers in the United States, before synthesizing information from publicly available EPA data on contaminants in US manufacturing wastewaters and technologies for treating them. Using the available data, we derive a set of “ubiquitous contaminants” among the top ten in terms of mass discharged in more than half of US manufacturing subsectors (NAICS 31–33) according to EPA permit data. We also present information on proven treatment trains and their energy requirements. We then compare water quality requirements for specific contaminants in reclaimed water to those characteristic of wastewater streams currently being discharged from manufacturing plants into surface waters to highlight sectors with reuse opportunities that could require little cost to realize, such as primary metals and, to a lesser extent, petroleum and coal products. We conclude by highlighting data limitations that need to be rectified before applying the framework more broadly and discussing how these data gaps could be filled. Better understanding the relationship between energy and water in the context of on-site manufacturing water reuse would allow manufacturers to improve resiliency by reducing regulatory, physical, and reputational risks while lessening their footprint on local watersheds.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

Microbiome response in an urban river system is dominated by seasonality over wastewater treatment upgrades

Background: Microorganisms such as coliform-forming bacteria are commonly used to assess freshwater quality for drinking and recreational use. However, such organisms do not exist in isolation; they exist within the context of dynamic, interactive microbial communities which vary through space and time. Elucidating spatiotemporal microbial dynamics is imperative for discriminating robust community changes from ephemeral ecological trends, and for improving our overall understanding of the relationship between microbial communities and ecosystem health. We conducted a seven-year (2013–2019) microbial time-series investigation in the Chicago Area Waterways (CAWS): an urban river system which, in 2016, experienced substantial upgrades to disinfection processes at two wastewater reclamation plants (WRPs) that discharge into the CAWS and improved stormwater capture, to improve river water quality and reduce flooding. Using culture-independent and culture-dependent approaches, we compared CAWS microbial ecology before and after the intervention. Results: Examinations of time-resolved beta distances between WRP-adjacent sites showed that community similarity measures were often consistent with the spatial orientation of site locations to one another and to the WRP outfalls. Fecal coliform results suggested that upgrades reduced coliform-associated bacteria in the effluent and the downstream river community. However, examinations of whole community changes through time suggest that the upgrades did little to affect overall riverine community dynamics, which instead were overwhelmingly driven by yearly patterns consistent with seasonality. Conclusions: This study presents a systematic effort to combine 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing with traditional culture-based methods to evaluate the influence of treatment innovations and systems upgrades on the microbiome of the Chicago Area Waterway System, representing the longest and most comprehensive characterization of the microbiome of an urban waterway yet attempted. We found that the systems upgrades were successful in improving specific water quality measures immediately downstream of wastewater outflows. Additionally, we found that the implementation of the water quality improvement measures to the river system did not disrupt the overall dynamics of the downstream microbial community, which remained heavily influenced by seasonal trends. Such results emphasize the dynamic nature of microbiomes in open environmental systems such as the CAWS, but also suggest that the seasonal oscillations remain consistent even when perturbed.

16S rRNA gene sequencing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Low-Temperature Electrochemical Wastewater Oxidation

Here, we demonstrated the Clean Sustainable Electrochemical Treatment (CleanSET) process that enables the distributed clean-up of biomass-derived wastewater while simultaneously generating hydrogen (H 2 ). The specific goal of this project is to 1) demonstrate the selective removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN) of different wastewaters, 2) optimize the electrode composition to improve electrochemical performance, and 3) perform a high-level techno-economic analysis to obtain levelized costs of disposal (LCOD) .

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Distribution of Antibiotic Resistance in a Mixed-Use Watershed and the Impact of Wastewater Treatment Plants on Antibiotic Resistance in Surface Water

The aquatic environment has been recognized as a source of antibiotic resistance (AR) that factors into the One Health approach to combat AR. To provide much needed data on AR in the environment, a comprehensive survey of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and antibiotic residues was conducted in a mixed-use watershed and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) within the watershed to evaluate these contaminants in surface water. A culture-based approach was used to determine prevalence and diversity of ARB in surface water. Low levels of AR Salmonella (9.6%) and Escherichia coli (6.5%) were detected, while all Enterococcus were resistant to at least one tested antibiotic. Fewer than 20% of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae (17.3%) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) (7.7%) were recovered. Six ARGs were detected using qPCR, primarily the erythromycin-resistance gene, ermB. Of the 26 antibiotics measured, almost all water samples (98.7%) had detectable levels of antibiotics. Analysis of wastewater samples from three WWTPs showed that WWTPs did not completely remove AR contaminants. ARGs and antibiotics were detected in all the WWTP effluent discharges, indicating that WWTPs are the source of AR contaminants in receiving water. However, no significant difference in ARGs and antibiotics between the upstream and downstream water suggests that there are other sources of AR contamination. The widespread occurrence and abundance of medically important antibiotics, bacteria resistant to antibiotics used for human and veterinary purposes, and the genes associated with resistance to these antibiotics, may potentially pose risks to the local populations exposed to these water sources.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Monitoring Warm Wastewater and Evaporation Fans - A Brilliant Duo

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) generates warm wastewater which must be stored in warm wastewater ponds. The goal is to evaporate the water from the ponds and using evaporation fans may help to accomplish this. This project explores how much water has been accumulated into the ponds along with how much water has been entering and leaving the ponds over the past 5 years. Furthermore, the implementation of the evaporation fans into the ponds is evaluated to see if they are helpful for improving evaporation rates or not.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Application of Fe-doped biochar in Cr(VI) removal from washing wastewater and residual Cr(VI) immobilization in contaminated soil

High-content Cr(VI)-contaminated soils are challenging to remediate using a single remediation technique. This study combined soil washing and immobilization to remediate high-content (3440 mg kg -1 ) Cr(VI)-contaminated soil, which investigated the effects of operating time, temperature, and liquid-solid ratio (LSR) on the Cr(VI) removal efficiency of soil washing and evaluated the potential of Fe-doped biochar (FeBC) in soluble Cr(VI) removal from the washing wastewater and residual Cr(VI) immobilization in the washed soil. The Cr(VI) removal efficiency of soil washing increased with the operating time, temperature, and LSR, but still cannot remove Cr(VI) to achieve the safety content (<100 mg kg -1 ). FeBC showed satisfactory potential in both Cr(VI) removal and immobilization from wastewater and soil, in which the main mechanisms involve ion exchange, redox, and coprecipitation. These results demonstrate applying soil washing & immobilization to remediate high-content Cr(VI)-contaminated soil is a promising alternative method.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

UV/chlorine advanced oxidation processes for degradation of contaminants in water and wastewater: A comprehensive review

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have recently gained increasing attention as promising alternatives to conventional water and wastewater treatment technologies. As an AOP, there has been a growing interest in UV/chlorine due to its multiple disinfection modes and ability to maintain chlorine residuals in drinking water distribution systems. Compared to the popular UV/H 2 O 2 AOP treatment process, UV/chlorine AOP possesses several advantages including a higher radical production efficiency and a lower power demand. The process has recently been applied for the degradation of a wide range of natural and synthetic organic as well as inorganic compounds including pharmaceutical and personal care products, natural organic matter, herbicides and insecticides, taste and odor, and different types of water and wastewaters. The focus of the present work is to review and evaluate the efficiency of the UV/chlorine process on the oxidation of these pollutants. Here a critical overview is provided of the fundamentals of UV/chlorine, controlling factors of the process performance, and a comparison with other UV-based AOPs. The formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), one of the concerns associated with UV/chlorine treatment, is discussed and strategies to tackle this obstacle are provided for future studies and applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Prioritization of Early-Stage Research and Development of a Hydrogel-Encapsulated Anaerobic Technology for Distributed Treatment of High Strength Organic Wastewater

This study aims to support the prioritization of research and development (R&D) pathways of an anaerobic technology leveraging hydrogel-encapsulated biomass to treat high-strength organic industrial wastewaters, enabling decentralized energy recovery and treatment to reduce organic loading on centralized treatment facilities. To characterize the sustainability implications of early-stage design decisions and to delineate R&D targets, an encapsulated anaerobic process model was developed and coupled with design algorithms for integrated process simulation, techno-economic analysis, and life cycle assessment under uncertainty. Across the design space, a single-stage configuration with passive biogas collection was found to have the greatest potential for financial viability and the lowest life cycle carbon emission. Through robust uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, we found technology performance was driven by a handful of design and technological factors despite uncertainty surrounding many others. Hydraulic retention time and encapsulant volume were identified as the most impactful design decisions for the levelized cost and carbon intensity of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Encapsulant longevity, a technological parameter, was the dominant driver of system sustainability and thus a clear R&D priority. Ultimately, we found encapsulated anaerobic systems with optimized fluidized bed design have significant potential to provide affordable, carbon-negative, and distributed COD removal from high strength organic wastewaters if encapsulant longevity can be maintained at 5 years or above.

Anaerobic Treatment↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Impact of Clean Grid Transition on Wastewater Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions

This study examines the spatial and temporal impacts of the U.S. clean energy grid transition on related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the wastewater treatment industry. By analyzing data from 17,156 water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) and state-specific grid decarbonization scenarios, the results project a 60% reduction in Scope 2 emissions by 2050, driven by the national shift to renewable energy. However, regional disparities are prominent, with northeastern and western states achieving the most significant reductions, while the Ohio Valley and Rockies are likely to experience higher emissions due to the reliance on fossil fuels. This study offers the first assessment of clean grid impacts on the WRRFs and highlights the need for targeted, region-specific strategies across different emission scopes. This research provides insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the wastewater sector, emphasizing the critical role of grid decarbonization in achieving GHG reduction goals.

Li, Xiatong↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ultrastable Zirconium-Based Cationic Metal–Organic Frameworks for Perrhenate Removal from Wastewater

The effective removal of radioactive 99 TcO 4 – anion from nuclear wastewater remains a very difficult unsolved problem. Functional adsorbent materials with high stability, anion-exchange capacity, excellent selectivity, and recyclability are much needed to solve this problem. In this work, we designed two stable cationic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—Zr-tcbp-Me and Zr-tcpp-Me—for possible use as adsorbent materials to remove 99 TcO 4 – . Both compounds were synthesized by solvothermal reactions of the tetracarboxylate ligand with zirconium salt, followed by postsynthetic modification (N-methylation). Here, the crystallinity of both zirconium-based MOFs can be well retained under harsh conditions, and they exhibit high adsorption capacity and selectivity toward ReO 4 – anion, a nonradioactive analogue of 99 TcO 4 – . Zr-tcbp-Me and Zr-tcpp-Me demonstrate the highest framework stability toward acidity among all previously reported cationic MOFs that have been tested for perrhenate removal from wastewater.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Treatment of Lagoon Dairy Manure Wastewater via Iron Electrocoagulation, Microfiltration, and Adsorption

Dairy manure wastewater generated by flushing barn cow waste contains nutrients, pathogens, and organic and inorganic contaminants. This study utilized a process consisting of iron electrocoagulation (Fe-EC), microfiltration (MF), and activated carbon (AC) adsorption to treat farm wastewater and explore the reclamation of clean water for irrigation and livestock consumption. Significant removal (>99.9%) of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), phosphorus (P), turbidity, and microorganisms, as well as ions including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, and silica was achieved by the combined EC-MF-AC process. Specifically, a charge loading of ∼37,500 C/L in a continuous-flow EC configuration, followed by MF, achieved more than 95% removal of TOC and COD. Characterization of produced flocs and foam via scanning-electron microscopy with energy-dispersal spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the removal of ions, including calcium, sulfur, and silica. A key finding was the electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen species to ammonia gas through the intermediate reduction of nitrate/nitrite, which led to ∼60% total nitrogen (TN) removal. AC treatment further improved TN removal to ∼70%. The Fe-EC process also eradicated >99.9% of bacteria. Preliminary process cost assessment, based on recycled materials for EC electrodes, showed significant cost savings (∼2 times) compared to commercial electrodes.

Dutta, Swapnamoy [ORNL]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Removal of Antibiotics from Swine Wastewater Using an Environmentally Friendly Biochar: Performance and Mechanisms

Antibiotics used in the swine industry to treat diseases and improve animal growth are poorly absorbed by swine and have been classified as micropollutants due to their occurrence in surface water, wastewater, and soil. This study investigated the capacity of biochar produced from eastern red cedar to remove target antibiotics that have been extensively used in the swine industry. Biochar was produced by pyrolysis from eastern red cedar at 450 °C. The sorption tests were performed by mixing biochar and a solution (1:10 ratio) containing each antibiotic in 100, 300, 600, and 900 μg L –1 concentrations. The results indicate that red cedar biochar was able to effectively remove up to 99.93% tetracycline, 96.23% oxytetracycline, 98.28% chlortetracycline, 76.4% sulfadiazine, and 78.6% sulfamethazine at the lowest concentrations. The removal efficiencies at higher concentrations declined up to 83.52, 47.23, 64.16, 69.8, and 58.4% for tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, sulfadiazine, and sulfamethazine, respectively. The biochar exhibited stronger adsorption capacity for chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine compared to the other antibiotics. The likely adsorption mechanisms driving the removal of tetracyclines and sulfonamides are hydrogen-bonding and π–π electron-donor–acceptor, supported by FTIR analyses of the biochar itself. Overall, the results highlighted the potential utilization of eastern red cedar biochar for practical applications, mitigating antibiotic residues from swine wastewater in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner due to its relatively low pyrolysis temperature (450 °C) and sustainable repurposing of an invasive tree species.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Controlling solvation in conducting redox polymers for selective electrochemical separation of nitrate from wastewater

Selective capture of nitrate from wastewater is crucial for ensuring safe drinking water and promoting resource circularity. This study investigated alkylated polyaniline redox polymers as highly-selective electrosorbents to address this challenge. By controlling polymer solvation properties through synthetic functionalization, poly(N-methylaniline) (PNMA) achieves a nitrate uptake of up to 1.38 mmol g −1 -polymer and a separation factor of 7 over chloride. Poly(N-butylaniline) (PNBA) further enhances selectivity, achieving a separation factor beyond 14 due to increased hydrophobicity. The mechanisms underlying this selectivity are investigated using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and in-situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) studies, which reveal that hydrophobicity reduces chloride binding. A technoeconomic analysis indicates that methylation on PANI reduces nitrate removal costs by 50% compared to non-functionalized PANI, due to enhanced selectivity and uptake, and decreased energy consumption. PNMA electrodes demonstrate practical nitrate selectivity over 20 versus chloride in real wastewater, while avoiding sulfate binding. This study highlights the potential of controlling solvation at electroactive polymers to enhance nitrate selectivity, offering a promising design path for redox-mediated electrochemical separations.

chemical engineering↗
DOE OSTI2020

Organic wastewater treatment by a single-atom catalyst and electrolytically produced H2O2

The presence of organic contaminants in wastewater poses considerable risks to the health of both humans and ecosystems. Although advanced oxidation processes that rely on highly reactive radicals to destroy organic contaminants are appealing treatment options, substantial energy and chemical inputs limit their practical applications. Here we demonstrate that Cu single atoms incorporated in graphitic carbon nitride can catalytically activate H 2 O 2 to generate hydroxyl radicals at pH 7.0 without energy input, and show robust stability within a filtration device. We further design an electrolysis reactor for the on-site generation of H 2 O 2 from air, water and renewable energy. Coupling the single-atom catalytic filter and the H 2 O 2 electrolytic generator in tandem delivers a wastewater treatment system. These findings provide a promising path toward reducing the energy and chemical demands of advanced oxidation processes, as well as enabling their implementation in remote areas and isolated communities.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Toxicity of hydraulic fracturing wastewater from black shale natural-gas wells influenced by well maturity and chemical additives

Hydraulic fracturing of deep shale formations generates large volumes of wastewater that must be managed through treatment, reuse, or disposal. Produced wastewater liberates formation-derived radionuclides and contains previously uncharacterized organohalides thought to be generated within the shale well, both posing unknown toxicity to human and ecological health. Here, we assess the toxicity of 42 input media and produced fluid samples collected from four wells in the Utica formation and Marcellus Shale using two distinct endpoint screening assays. Broad spectrum acute toxicity was assessed using a bioluminescence inhibition assay employing the halotolerant bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri, while predictive mammalian cytotoxicity was evaluated using a N-acetylcysteine (NAC) thiol reactivity assay. The acute toxicity and thiol reactivity of early-stage flowback was higher than later produced fluids, with levels diminishing through time as the natural gas wells matured. Acute toxicity of early stage flowback and drilling muds were on par with the positive control, 3,5-dichlorophenol (6.8 mg L -1 ). Differences in both acute toxicity and thiol reactivity between paired natural gas well samples were associated with specific chemical additives. Samples from wells containing a larger diversity and concentration of organic additives resulted in higher acute toxicity, while samples from a well applying a higher composition of ammonium persulfate, a strong oxidizer, showed greater thiol reactivity, predictive of higher mammalian toxicity. Both acute toxicity and thiol reactivity are consistently detected in produced waters, in some cases present up to nine months after hydraulic fracturing. These results support that specific chemical additives, the reactions generated by the additives, or the constituents liberated from the formation by the additives contribute to the toxicity of hydraulic fracturing produced waters and reinforces the need for careful consideration of early produced fluid management.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Energy Analysis: Ways to Save Energy and Reduce the Emissions in Wastewater Treatment Plants

The key of this study is to explore the primary energy consumers in wastewater treatment plants, which is considered as one of the major energy consumers, and introduces the best solution to save energy and reduce emissions in these facilities. This study is based on the energy assessment and analyses of eleven wastewater treatment plants. Through the investigation, it was found that plants can save up to 44,158 MWh of the energy consumption which is 47% from the total electricity consumption with a 17% reduction in the total utility bills and that about 2.5 million dollars cost savings after reviewing the currently facilitated energy system. Additionally, an average of five years' payback period resulted in most energy-saving recommendations. A vast potential of greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced with a total range reduction between 13 to 35 million kg of CO 2 based on the speed reduction percentage.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗