Superfund Research Program

• 362 - Machine Learning Predicts Efficiency of Micropollutant Removal -- Knappe
  Release Date: 02/19/2025

  Scientists at the NIEHS-funded North Carolina State University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center created machine learning models that can help predict how well granular activated carbon (GAC) can clean up contaminated water. With his student Yoko Koyama, Detlef Knappe, Ph.D., developed models that consider properties of the micropollutants — such as PFAS and volatile organic compounds — specific characteristics of the water being treated, and features of different GAC types.

• 356 - Pyrite Improves Electrochemical System for Removing a Chemical Mixture -- Alshawabkeh
  Release Date: 08/07/2024

  Adding a common mineral, pyrite, to an electrochemical system can simultaneously remove organic and heavy metal contaminants from groundwater, according to a study funded in part by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP). Led by Akram Alshawabkeh, Ph.D., researchers at the Northeastern University SRP Center found that combining two types of remediation techniques – one that relies on applying an electrical current to destroy contaminants and one that uses minerals to adsorb contaminants – removed pollutants more effectively than either strategy alone.

• 355 - Environmental Factors Alter PFAS Removal by Specialized Nanomaterials -- Aich, Aga, Bradley
  Release Date: 07/10/2024

  Researchers funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) revealed how characteristics of water treatment systems may alter the ability of novel nanomaterials to remove PFAS. Scientists should be aware of factors like water pH — a measure of acidic or basic conditions — or salt level to ensure that these nanomaterials effectively remove PFAS in aqueous environments, according to the team based at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

• 351 - Using Earth Materials to Remove Metals Near Abandoned Mines -- Cerrato
  Release Date: 03/06/2024

  NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded researchers developed a new strategy that uses limestone and a naturally occurring mineral to clean up water contaminated with arsenic and uranium — two of the most frequently detected drinking water pollutants in Tribal communities.

• 347 - High-Temperature Biochar for Arsenic Remediation -- Duckworth
  Release Date: 11/01/2023

  Adding biochar produced at a high temperature may be an effective way to immobilize arsenic in sediment, according to researchers partially funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP). The study, led by Owen Duckworth, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center, in partnership with researchers from the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Brazil, also provided further insight into the conditions that influenced the effectiveness of biochar for soil remediation.

• 341 - Fighting Fluorine with Fluorine: New Materials Remove PFAS from Groundwater -- May
  Release Date: 05/03/2023

  Researchers funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) created a novel class of materials that can attract and remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. According to the authors, the new technology — called Fluor Mop — can be regenerated, reused, and is potentially less expensive than current remediation strategies.

• 340 - Mimicking Molecules Made by Bacteria to Remove Metals From Water -- Maier
  Release Date: 04/05/2023

  NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded scientists developed a method to extract metals from water using synthetic molecules inspired by those produced by bacteria. The biodegradable molecules, called rhamnolipids, could one day be used to remove toxic metals or extract rare and valuable elements from aqueous mining and industrial waste.

• 326 - New Technique Yields Promising Results for Uranium Removal in the Field -- Boxley, Maier
  Release Date: 02/02/2022

  A technology developed by NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program (SRP) researchers may remove uranium and other heavy metals from groundwater near abandoned mines. Small business GlycoSurf, LLC worked with partners at the University of Arizona SRP Center to determine the best environmental conditions for effectively removing uranium from contaminated water.

• 318 - Combined Approach Sheds Light on Factors Controlling Stream Recovery -- Clements
  Release Date: 06/02/2021

  Improved water quality and stream ecosystem recovery following treatment of mine waste depends on a mix of physical, chemical, and biological factors, according to a new study funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) at the Colorado School of Mines. William Clements, Ph.D., professor at Colorado State University, and two doctoral students, led the study.

• 315 - Modeling and Field Tests Yield Promising Results for Aquifer Clean Up -- Christenson, Comfort
  Release Date: 03/03/2021

  NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grantees have developed novel, slow-release oxidant-paraffin candles that dissolve and degrade chlorinated contaminants in underground aquifers. The grant recipient worked with partners at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) to optimize this groundwater clean-up method and demonstrated its effectiveness in a field study.

• 309 - Treating Water with Chemical Oxidation May Produce Harmful By-Products -- Sedlak
  Release Date: 09/02/2020

  Chemical oxidation is a process commonly used to treat water contaminated with aromatic compounds like benzene. But, unexpected and potentially harmful breakdown products may result from this treatment process, according to a recent study from the NIEHS-funded University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Program Center.

• 304 - Electrochemical System Degrades PCE in Groundwater -- Alshawabkeh
  Release Date: 04/01/2020

  An electrochemical system can effectively break down tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in groundwater, according to a new study from the NIEHS-funded Northeastern University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center. After testing different design parameters to determine the best conditions for degrading PCE, the researchers achieved 86% removal of the contaminant from groundwater sources.