International Research Experience for Students
(IRES): Research on Water Technologies
1. Caryssa Joustra – Analysis of smart shelters for flood resilience
2. Suzie Boxman – Vegetated wall panels for treatment of greywater
3. Anh Do – Sulfate-reducing anaerobic MBR for treatment of gypsum
waste leachate
4. Kristen Andre- Sulfate reducing inverse FBR for heavy metal removal
from wastewater
5. Anton Dapcic – Natural sorbents for removal of heavy metals from water
6. Mari Gonzalez- Pretreatment in seawater RO desalination
______________________________________Ion exchange strategies along the water lifecycle
Treavor Boyer, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences
University of Florida
Access to clean water is a critical social, environmental, and economic challenge for the 21st century. Our vision is to develop robust ion exchange approaches to the treatment of water at various stages in its lifecycle so as to maximize water conservation, recover valuable materials, sequester harmful contaminants, minimize the production of waste byproducts, and advance the water-energy nexus. This presentation will highlight recent research in our group that uses ion exchange to recover phosphorus from natural systems, selectively remove groups of chemical contaminants during drinking water treatment, minimize the volume of waste residuals produced by membrane processes, and improve the function of waterless urinals. These topics are of intrinsic importance to water supply planning and wastewater management, and also encapsulate the key technical issues for a number of different water recycling strategies. The insights developed from the ion exchange research presented here are expected to lead to exciting new ideas for treatment and beneficial uses of water at various stages in its lifecycle.
Dr. Treavor Boyer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida. He joined the faculty in 2008 after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Boyer completed his M.S. in environmental engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his B.S. in chemical engineering at the University of Florida. The focus of Dr. Boyer¹s research is aquatic chemistry and water treatment. The long-term goals of his research program are (i) to understand the effect of DOM on physical, chemical, and biological processes and (ii) to apply the principles of ion exchange to natural and engineered systems. Website: Treavor Boyer's Webpage
______________________________________
A Performance Evaluation of a UASB Reactor and a Facultative Pond
to Determine the Feasibility of Reusing Wastewater for Irrigation
Matthew E. Verbyla, M.Sc. Candidate
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of South Florida
According to the United Nations 2011 Millennium Development Goals Report the percentage of undernourished people in the developing world has remained relatively stagnant during the past decade, despite significant reductions in poverty. The world is also far from meeting the sanitation target, with almost half of the population in developing regions without access to improved sanitation. In order to increase food production to meet rising demands in the developing world, many farmers use wastewater (treated and untreated) for irrigation. The use of inadequately-treated wastewater for irrigation greatly increases the risk of transmission of excreta-related diseases, especially for vulnerable groups such as those living in extreme poverty. Instead of focusing on the removal of traditional physical-chemical parameters from wastewater with the ultimate goal of discharging to surface waters, wastewater treatment in developing countries should be centered on the removal of human pathogens, with the ultimate goal of safe reuse. The reuse of wastewater for irrigation is very important, especially in certain regions of of the world experiencing water stress. This presentation will focus on a recent study comparing the pathogen removal and the performance of two waste stabilization pond systems in Bolivia which utilize different methods of primary treatment: an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a facultative pond. The goal of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of reuse for irrigation in accordance with the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines. Biography
Mr. Verbyla graduated from Lafayette College in 2006 with a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and is now pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. Mr. Verbyla is a LEED Green Associate and a Project Engineer at HRP Associates, Inc. and has several years of consulting experience on a wide range of wastewater, solid waste, potable water, and stormwater projects. Mr. Verbyla spent two and a half years studying, working, and volunteering in rural developing and urban slum communities of Central and South America, and is fluent in Spanish and conversational in Portuguese. He was also the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship in 2007, where he studied the effects of decentralization policies on the sustainability of rural water systems in Honduras. His current research focuses on wastewater reuse and the removal of pathogens in wastewater treatment systems in developing communities of the world. Mr. Verbyla can be contacted at verbylam@mail.usf.com. ______________________________________
Laboratory Assessment of Four Point-of-Use Water Treatment Filters Designed for Households in Developing Countries
Sarah Ness
Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of South Florida
Michael MacCarthy is a Doctoral Student and Graduate Research Associate in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. He started his studies at USF in 2009 following several years living in sub-Saharan Africa (Cameroon, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa), where he worked with rural communities to design and implement low-cost water supply projects. He previously received his M.Sc. in Engineering for Development from the University of Southampton (England) and his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Mr. MacCarthy’s doctoral research focuses on sustainable low-cost household water supplies for developing communities, including manual pumps, manual drilling techniques, and rainwater harvesting systems. The primary field sites for this research are in Bolivia and Madagascar.
Laboratory Assessment of Four Point-of-Use Water Treatment Filters Designed for Households in Developing Countries
Sarah Ness
Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of South Florida
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF’s Joint Monitoring Programme, 884 billion people do not have access to improved sources of drinking water. Household water treatment technologies, termed point-of-use (POU) technologies, have been developed in an effort to solve this problem and improve peoples’ access to clean and safe drinking water.
A laboratory assessment is evaluating the effectiveness of four POU treatment technologies that utilize physical filtration methods. The two clay ceramic filters are further being evaluated in longer term field studies. Three of the systems, Potters for Peace, Filter Pure, and Tulip filters, are ceramic filters that treat water through filtration and also disinfect the water through the use of impregnated or coated silver. The Potters for Peace (PFP) filter is a flower pot-shaped, 8 liter (L) ceramic filter with a silver coating. The Filter Pure (FP) filter is a rounded-bottom lemon-juicer shaped, 7 L ceramic filter with silver fired into the ceramic. The Tulip filter is a submersible candle-type ceramic filter that uses siphon pressure to push water through the filter element, which includes silver impregnated into the ceramic. The fourth filter included in this evaluation is the LifeStraw Family (LS) filter, which utilizes ultrafiltration and water disinfection through chlorination.
In the laboratory, flow rates, turbidity removal, total suspended solids (TSS) removal, coliform removal, and E. coli removal have been measured. All four filter types have been tested using natural pond water. Additionally, the PFP and FP ceramic filters have filtered tap water to simulate rain water, while the Tulip filters and LS filters have filtered a synthetic water that incorporates silica sand to simulate varying levels of natural turbid surface waters. Particle size distribution analysis was also performed on waters associated with the Tulip and LS filters.
Preliminary results are suggesting that none of the POU filters are functioning at the full operational levels reported by their respective manufacturers. The Tulip filters are removing turbidity, TSS, coliforms, and E.coli and are flowing at the expected flow rate of 4-5 L/hour if the filter unit is functioning without a quality control error. However, several of the Tulip filters are appearing to deteriorate in effluent water quality before the expected 7,000 L end-of-life reported by the manufacturer. In contrast, the FP, PFP, and LS filters are removing the predicted coliforms and E.coli, as well as turbidity and TSS. However, none are performing at the expected flow rates. Laboratory results show that both filters are operating around 0.2-0.5 L/hour. In addition, the LS filters are not performing at the expected flow rate of 12-15 L/hour, as claimed by the manufacturer. Continued laboratory results and field measurements of the two clay ceramic filters will be reported in this presentation. This will allow for further analysis to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of the four POU filters.
Sarah Ness is a graduate student at the University of South Florida. She is part of the Peace Corps Master’s International program and is studying Environmental Engineering. Sarah’s B.S. degree is in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and she has water and wastewater treatment experience from working at Gannett Fleming consulting firm. The focus of Sarah’s research is water and wastewater treatment with an emphasis on sustainability and appropriate technology for developing countries.
_________________________________
Manual Drilling of Water Wells: Use in Development,
Academic Research, and Teaching
Michael F. MacCarthy, M.Sc.
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of South Florida
Manual water well drilling techniques are increasingly being promoted to help provide water for drinking and irrigation purposes to developing communities throughout the world. The low cost of manually-drilled wells, compared to machine-drilled wells or hand dugs wells, as well as the low cost and relative portability of their equipment, make them an attractive water supply option when hydro-geological conditions are favorable. The presented research consists of an assessment of hand auguring, percussion, and percussion-jetting manual drilling equipment, designed for use in developing communities. As part of the study, the equipment set-ups are assessed for relevance in academic field research, where collection of hydro-geologic data is often limited due to the expense of conventional machine drilling. While basic manual drilling techniques (e.g. hand auguring) are commonly used in academic field research, the use of hybrid manual drilling methods offer potential for significantly greater data to be obtained with minimal economic resources. Additionally, the research considers how the use of manual drilling techniques can be used to effectively teach essential aspects of groundwater hydrogeology to engineering, science and public health students, with manual drilling field labs being developed and taught at the University of South Florida over the past two years.
Michael MacCarthy is a Doctoral Student and Graduate Research Associate in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. He started his studies at USF in 2009 following several years living in sub-Saharan Africa (Cameroon, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa), where he worked with rural communities to design and implement low-cost water supply projects. He previously received his M.Sc. in Engineering for Development from the University of Southampton (England) and his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Mr. MacCarthy’s doctoral research focuses on sustainable low-cost household water supplies for developing communities, including manual pumps, manual drilling techniques, and rainwater harvesting systems. The primary field sites for this research are in Bolivia and Madagascar.
______________________________________
Anthony Andrade is a Senior Water Conservation Analyst and Project Manager specializing in reclaimed water at the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Mr. Andrade holds a B.A. degree from the University of South Florida (1987) and is a state certified wastewater treatment plant operator and reclaimed water specialist. Mr. Andrade has been in the reclaimed water field for two decades and has been with the Southwest Florida Water Management District since 1998.
Reclaimed Water History and Challenges in Southwest Florida
Anthony Andrade
Southwest Florida Water Management District
Over the past 30 years water reuse has become an accepted and safe alternative water supply throughout Florida. The growth of reclaimed water use has been especially prevalent in urban centers for irrigation, as up to 50 percent of a community’s drinking water is used on landscapes. Much of this irrigation water could be replaced with reclaimed water. The utilities within the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) recognized reclaimed water’s potential and have become leaders in the reuse industry. District-wide reclaimed water use has grown from 10 mgd in 1980 to 150 mgd in 2010. Much of the expansion is due to the assistance provided by the District. Since the late 1980’s, the District has provided $343 million for 308 reclaimed water projects worth more than $823 million. As a result, utilities within the District now serve more than 100,000 reuse customers. When all of the ongoing reuse projects are completed, they will make 232 mgd of reclaimed water available. As of 2010, 10% of all water use in the District was supplied by reclaimed water, and by 2030 that is anticipated to grow to nearly 20% and exceed 374 mgd. Challenges remain in maximizing reclaimed water resources. This presentation will focus on the history of reclaimed water, the District’s long-term goals, development costs, overuse, nutrients, chlorides and quality.
 Reclaimed Infrastructure Within the Southwest Florida Water Management District |
Anthony Andrade is a Senior Water Conservation Analyst and Project Manager specializing in reclaimed water at the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Mr. Andrade holds a B.A. degree from the University of South Florida (1987) and is a state certified wastewater treatment plant operator and reclaimed water specialist. Mr. Andrade has been in the reclaimed water field for two decades and has been with the Southwest Florida Water Management District since 1998. Overcoming the Challenges in the Commercial Development of Algae
George Philippidis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biofuel Engineering
Director, Alternative Energy Research Center
USF Polytechnic
4100 S. Frontage Road, Suite 102
Lakeland, FL 33815
(863) 904-9961 · gphilippidis@poly.usf.edu
Algae promise to revolutionize the production of alternative transportation fuels, but the technology faces formidable challenges on its way to commercialization. Water management is one of the major issues as algae need to be cultivated in huge ponds and harvested for further processing. As water represents an increasingly scarce resource, engineers need to identify ways to minimize water usage and handling for both cost and environmental reasons. Consistent lipid productivity is another critical cost factor as it determines the potential yield of alternative fuels and needs to be maximized. Moreover, carbon dioxide needs to be secured from real-world industrial operations in a cost-effective way. The presenter will discuss scale-up issues and his joint ventures with technology developers in the private sector and with venture capital firms and other investors.
Biography
George Philippidis, Ph.D. is the director of the Alternative Energy Research Center and associate professor of biofuel engineering at USF Polytechnic. He comes to USF from Florida International University, where he served as energy director of the Applied Research Center, co-director of the Global Energy Security Forum, and research associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computing. Prior to that he held management positions at a subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Corporation and at the National Renewable Energy Lab. He has 18 years of experience in leading strategic business units in biofuels, energy, and biotechnology. His expertise includes biofuels (sugarcane and cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel), renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, and ocean power generation), energy security, and integration of alternatives into the oil & gas, coal, and nuclear infrastructure. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an executive MBA from the University of Denver. Dr. Philippidis can be contacted at gphilippidis@poly.usf.edu. ______________________________________
