Superfund Research Program
Controlled Release Polymer Structures of In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Contaminated groundwater
Project Leader: Alexis W. Carpenter
Grant Number: R41ES026916
Funding Period: Phase I: September 2016 - March 2018
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Final Progress Reports
Year: 2018
Contaminated groundwater is a pervasive problem with significant health impacts. Current clean-up approaches, called remediation, are labor intensive, expensive, and can have project timelines on the order of decades. The market needs innovative approaches for more effective, lower cost contaminant clean-up.
AxNano is utilizing their patented controlled release polymer structures (CRPS) technology for groundwater remediation agents. CRPS will transform the remediation industry by: 1) mitigating exposure hazards to service workers; and 2) shortening the clean-up cycle with a single application of higher doses that decreases cost and avoids the inconvenience and additional cost of reinjections. Overall, the NIEHS STTR Phase I program succeeded in:
- Establishing a highly tunable and scalable manufacturing method for making CRPS of more than fifteen compositions. Tunability allows for the CRPS to be engineered to meet specific site needs, maximizing remediation efficacy and minimizing cost.
- Evaluating CRPS performance in simulated environments with respect to oxidant release and contaminant degradation. Radius of Influence in environments ranging from sand to clay were measured. These data will be used to inform their scale-up efforts and support successful transition into the field. Permanganate CRPS proved effective at 99.995 percent removal of perchloroethylene and 99.955 removal of trichloroethylene.
- Development of a new CRPS formulation with broader efficacy to achieve greater market capture. Initially, CRPS were designed as “pills”, but Phase I laboratory data and field deployment planning revealed that an injectable form would achieve greater Radius of Influence, and therefore a better option in low porosity areas such as tight clays.
- Forming strategic relationships with key market players and positioning AxNano as an emerging technology innovator.
- Strengthening AxNano's partnership with CRPS inventor and North Carolina A&T, a top HBCU/MSI.