Superfund Research Program
- 341 - Fighting Fluorine with Fluorine: New Materials Remove PFAS from Groundwater -- May
Release Date: 05/03/2023Researchers 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: 04/05/2023NIEHS 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.
- 338 - Combining Analytical Chemistry and Machine Learning to Detangle Mixtures -- Halas
Release Date: 02/01/2023NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded researchers demonstrated a significant step toward identifying individual chemical components in complex mixtures. Their approach uses advanced analytical techniques and sophisticated machine learning approaches while overcoming the time-consuming separation steps that preceded traditional chemical analysis.
- 330 - Study Sheds Light on Breakdown Products of PCBs in the Environment -- Hornbuckle
Release Date: 06/01/2022NIEHS Superfund Research program (SRP) grantees discovered toxic breakdown products of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in contaminated sediments at proportionally higher levels than found in commercial PCB mixtures. According to the team, these findings point to environmental processes, such as metabolism by animals, plants, or bacteria, in generating the harmful chemicals.
- 326 - New Technique Yields Promising Results for Uranium Removal in the Field -- Boxley, Maier
Release Date: 02/02/2022A 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.
- 325 - Biosensor Helps Characterize Contaminants and Health Risks Following Disasters -- Unger, Knap
Release Date: 01/05/2022A sophisticated biosensor may provide information about contaminant distribution in the aftermath of natural disasters, according to an NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded study. Led by former Texas A&M University (TAMU) SRP Center trainee Krisa Camargo and Michael Unger, Ph.D., from the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, the team demonstrated this type of tool is useful for quickly characterizing and prioritizing environmental samples for further analysis, particularly in the context of disaster research response.
- 319 - Analyzing Chemicals and Genes Yields Novel Insight into PAH Behavior -- Simonich
Release Date: 07/07/2021A new NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded study revealed how polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) breakdown and transform in the presence of ultraviolet A (UVA) light and titanium dioxide nanoparticle pollutants. Their findings have important implications for PAH cleanup, which may not consider how PAHs transform in diverse environments.
- 318 - Combined Approach Sheds Light on Factors Controlling Stream Recovery -- Clements
Release Date: 06/02/2021Improved 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: 03/03/2021NIEHS 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, small business AirLift Environmental, 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.
- 311 - Edible Sorbents May Protect Against Metal Toxicity -- Phillips
Release Date: 11/04/2020A new study from NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center researchers suggests that edible sorbents may be an effective treatment to reduce heavy metal exposure from consumption of contaminated water and food. According to the researchers, this is the first evidence that edible sorbents can bind heavy metal mixtures and protect against their toxicity in a living organism.
- 309 - Treating Water with Chemical Oxidation May Produce Harmful By-Products -- Sedlak
Release Date: 09/02/2020Chemical 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: 04/01/2020An 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.
- 292 - Nitrous Oxide Halts Breakdown of Chlorinated Compounds -- Loeffler
Release Date: 04/03/2019A new Superfund Research Program (SRP) study showed that nitrous oxide (N2O), a groundwater contaminant commonly generated from agricultural runoff, inhibits bacterial degradation of certain chlorinated contaminants, including tetrachloroethene (PCE). The study may explain why bioremediation, or the use of bacteria to break down compounds, can stall at some hazardous waste sites.
- 290 - Promising Membrane Technology Reduces Chlorobenzene in Groundwater -- Alshawabkeh, Bhattacharyya
Release Date: 02/13/2019A new Superfund Research Program collaboration has developed a promising groundwater cleanup technology that provides an efficient, low-maintenance method of removing chlorobenzene and other compounds from water. The method integrates electrochemical oxidation, which uses electricity to transform contaminants into non-toxic substances, and membranes containing palladium (Pd), a metal used as a catalyst in many industrial chemical synthesis applications and groundwater treatment.
- 286 - Siderophores Reduce Asbestos Toxicity in Soil -- Willenbring, Christofidou-Solomidou
Release Date: 10/03/2018Researchers have discovered that natural compounds released from bacteria and fungi in soil, known as siderophores, can decrease the toxicity of asbestos fibers. According to the authors, their results support the feasibility of asbestos bioremediation, or using organisms such as bacteria to degrade contaminants at waste sites.
- 280 - Toxic Byproducts Formed During UV Water Treatment -- Sedlak
Release Date: 04/04/2018Common water treatment methods that remove phenols and other hazardous compounds may produce low levels of toxic byproducts, according to a new study by the University of California (UC), Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center.
- 275 - Activated Carbon Reduces the Effects of TCDD on the Immune System and Gut Microbiome in a Mammalian Model -- Boyd, Hashsham
Release Date: 11/01/2017Breakthroughs from the Michigan State University Superfund Research Program (MSU SRP) Center provide new evidence that activated carbon may be used to reduce health risks resulting from dioxin contamination.
- 274 - Endophytes Help Poplar Trees Clean Up TCE on Superfund Site -- Blaylock
Release Date: 10/04/2017Poplar trees can capture and remove trichloroethylene (TCE) from the soil and degrade it. Now, a method using endophytes, symbiotic microbes that live within a plant, has been successfully shown to boost the speed and effectiveness of this natural degradation process. Researchers led by Edenspace Systems Corporation, a Superfund Research Program (SRP)-funded small business, conducted the first large-scale experiment on a Superfund site using poplar trees fortified with a microbial endophyte to clean up TCE-contaminated groundwater.
- 260 - Identifying Mechanisms for Regulating Gas Exchange in Plants -- Schroeder
Release Date: 08/03/2016Superfund Research Program (SRP) researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are identifying important mechanisms that plants use to respond to changes in the environment. They recently discovered molecular mechanisms that enhance the activity of proteins essential to closing stomata, or pores found on the surface of leaves, in response to environmental stressors.
- 259 - Phytostabilization of Mine Tailings with Compost-Assisted Direct Planting -- Maier
Release Date: 07/06/2016Amending mine waste with compost is a viable and promising alternative to the expensive process of covering an entire site with a thick soil or rock cap followed by seeding, according to research from the University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (UA SRP) Center. The trial was based on successful results from preliminary greenhouse studies, which scaled effectively to the field.
- 255 - The Effect of Corrinoid Co-factors on Bioremediation of Chlorinated Compounds -- Loeffler
Release Date: 03/02/2016Specific modifications to helper molecules, or co-factors, play an important role in how efficiently some bacteria can degrade toxic chlorinated pollutants. In a new study, researchers from the University of Tennessee found that specific chemical modifications to corrinoid co-factors, a group of molecules that includes vitamin B12, can affect how well bacteria degrade chlorinated pollutants such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). These findings could help improve cleanup of chlorinated contaminants at hazardous waste sites.
- 251 - Development of a Sustainable Remediation System to Remove TCE from Groundwater -- Alshawabkeh
Release Date: 11/04/2015An electrochemical system can effectively remove trichloroethylene (TCE) from groundwater at high flow rates, as demonstrated by researchers at the Northeastern University Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center. They optimized the electrode material and configuration to determine the best conditions to dechlorinate TCE at a flow rate of one liter per minute, which exists in karst aquifers.
- 248 - Cellulose Nanomaterials in Environmental Cleanup Technologies -- Wiesner
Release Date: 08/05/2015Nanomaterials made of cellulose – a natural polymer used mainly to produce paper – hold great promise in environmental remediation applications and water filtration membranes, according to Duke University Superfund Research Program (Duke SRP) researchers. In a compilation of research findings, Duke SRP researchers led by Mark Wiesner, Ph.D., outline the physical and chemical properties, production costs, and current use of cellulose nanomaterials.
- 244 - Switchgrass and Bacteria Work Together to Remove PCBs from Soil -- Schnoor, Mattes
Release Date: 04/01/2015Researchers at the University of Iowa Superfund Research Program (Iowa SRP) Center have found that switchgrass, a plant native to central North America, can effectively remove polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from contaminated soil. When PCB-degrading bacteria is added, removal of PCBs from the soil can increase further. This phytoremediation method may be an efficient and sustainable strategy to removing PCBs from hazardous waste sites.
- 239 - Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater by Persulfate -- Sedlak
Release Date: 11/05/2014Researchers at the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) are one step closer to developing more efficient and effective treatment systems to remove organic contaminants from groundwater and soil. Findings from a new study, led by David Sedlak, Ph.D., provide insight into adding persulfate to groundwater to break down organic contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls,1,4-dioxane, and components of petroleum, that may be difficult to treat with other methods and potentially harmful to human health.
- 229 - Comparing Black Carbon Types to Sequester PBDEs in Sediments -- Gan
Release Date: 01/08/2014Researchers from the University of California (UC), Riverside, found that the addition of black carbon reduces the bioavailability, or the fraction of chemicals that can be taken up by organisms, of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediment. They developed a method to measure PBDE bioavailability in sediment and found that reduction in bioavailability varied greatly depending on the type of black carbon; activated carbon showed the best efficiency compared to biochar or charcoal.
- 222 - Remediation of PCB Contaminated Sediment by Bioaugmentation -- Sowers, May
Release Date: 06/05/2013A new way to reduce hazardous polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by bioaugmentation, the addition of microorganisms to degrade contaminants, could be an effective and environmentally sustainable strategy to decrease the amount of PCBs in polluted sediment.
- 211 - A New Solar-Powered Approach for Groundwater Decontamination -- Alshawabkeh
Release Date: 07/03/2012Researchers discover a new treatment combination that delivers a one-two punch to eliminate trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination in groundwater. As an added benefit, the method can be driven by solar power for a greener approach to remediation.
- 205 - Ramping Up Mixed Metals Removal -- Calo
Release Date: 01/04/2012To remove trace metals from water, two methods may be better than one. Brown University researchers have developed an innovative two-part strategy to safely eliminate metals from water without producing toxic sludge.
- 200 - Celebrating a Significant Milestone in Research Dissemination -- Avakian
Release Date: 08/03/2011Remember when email was cutting-edge? SRP's Research Briefs have been reaching readers around the globe since those early days. We celebrate the 200th brief with a look at how SRP's science communication has evolved over nearly 15 years.
- 198 - Chlorinated Contaminant Remediation - Dual Function Responsive Membranes -- Bhattacharyya
Release Date: 06/01/2011A promising new double-stacked filter inspired by membranes found in nature may help tackle trichloroethylene (TCE)the most common organic groundwater contaminant in the United States.
- 196 - Nanoparticles Enhance Imaging of Intracellular Bioreduction of Chromate -- Irudayaraj
Release Date: 04/06/2011Researchers send tiny gold balls into bacterial cells on a mission to reveal how the cells process Chromium (VI). The bacteria's ability to transform this harmful metal to a less toxic form could make it an important ally in cleaning up Superfund sites.
- 194 - Sediment Caps That Degrade Contaminants -- Reible
Release Date: 02/02/2011Some Superfund sites may just need a little sizzle. Researchers find that using electricity can stimulate microbial growth and help break down contaminants in underwater sediments.
- 193 - Accelerating Pump-and-Treat Remediation at Arsenic-contaminated Sites -- Chillrud, Stute, Mailloux
Release Date: 01/05/2011Pumping contaminated groundwater to the surface to filter out toxins is time-consuming and expensive. A new process makes this method more efficient by adding chemicals to stir up toxins while the water still underground.
- 192 - Discovery of the Key to Metal Accumulation in Plants -- Schroeder
Release Date: 12/01/2010Plants that take up hazardous metals can help clean up polluted soils, but they also can become a route of human exposure when edible crops take up pollutants. Researchers are deciphering how plants take up metals in order to better control the process.
- 186 - DEMET - Converting Waste into a Resource -- James
Release Date: 06/03/2010In a prime example of turning lemons into lemonade, scientists have developed a method for reducing the ecological and health threats from abandoned mines by extracting and selling-at a profit-the residual metals that would otherwise seep from the mine sites into rivers and streams.
- 183 - Sequestration of Dioxin by Clays -- Boyd
Release Date: 03/03/2010Although the organic matter in soil is often considered best for sequestering contaminants, new evidence shows that clay is as good--and perhaps better--at sequestering dioxins.
- 182 - Can Phytoremediation Work for PCBs? -- Schnoor
Release Date: 02/03/2010A study offers the first evidence that whole plants can take up and metabolize polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), suggesting plants could be used to help clean up PCB-contaminated sites.
- 180 - Tools to Improve Success Rate of Bioremediation of Complex Chemical Mixtures -- Halden
Release Date: 12/02/2009 - 177 - Mechanisms Influencing Long-term Mass Flux of DNAPL Contaminants -- Brusseau
Release Date: 09/02/2009 - 168 - Zero Valent Iron for Passive Treatment of Acid Rock Drainage -- Field
Release Date: 12/03/2008 - 164 - New Nanomaterials to Capture Mercury Vapor Released from Compact Fluorescent Lamps -- Hurt
Release Date: 08/06/2008 - 163 - The Role of Soil Bacteria in Phytostabilization of Mine Tailings -- Maier
Release Date: 07/02/2008 - 160 - High-Performance Carbon-Based Mercury Sorbents -- Hurt
Release Date: 04/02/2008 - 153 - Novel High-Strength Iron Cement Sequesters Pollutants -- Curry
Release Date: 09/05/2007 - 149 - Microwave Technology for Granular Activated Carbon Regeneration -- Cha
Release Date: 05/02/2007 - 147 - Microbial and Photolytic Transformations of Environmental Contaminants -- Schuler, Linden
Release Date: 03/07/2007 - 146 - Groundwater Contamination by Perchlorate from Brines -- Hunt
Release Date: 02/07/2007 - 143 - Toxicological Assessment of Remediated Environmental Chemicals -- Trosko
Release Date: 11/01/2006 - 138 - New Technologies for Remediation of Halogenated Organics -- Arnold, Saez, Betterton
Release Date: 06/07/2006 - 131 - Advances in Photocatalytic Remediation Technology -- Kittrell
Release Date: 11/02/2005 - 123 - Nanosized Metals for Organic Detoxification -- Bhattacharyya
Release Date: 03/02/2005 - 119 - Novel Applications of Microbially-Produced Surfactants -- Maier
Release Date: 11/02/2004 - 109 - Quantifying Enhanced In Situ TCE Biodegradation -- Field
Release Date: 01/07/2004 - 103 - Clay Products in Remediation and Intervention Strategies -- Phillips
Release Date: 07/02/2003 - 90 - The Impact of Chlorine on Hexavalent Chromium Emissions -- Kennedy
Release Date: 06/05/2002 - 87 - Application of Wildlife Biomarker Technologies in Remediation Decision-Making -- Hooper
Release Date: 03/06/2002 - 85 - Enhancing Remediation of DNAPL-Contaminated Subsurface Systems -- Miller
Release Date: 01/02/2002 - 83 - Removal of Arsenic from Domestic Drinking Water Supplies -- Farrell
Release Date: 11/07/2001 - 75 - An Advanced Characterization Study of a Chlorinated Solvent Contaminated Aquifer -- Brusseau
Release Date: 03/07/2001 - 74 - In-situ Ozonation of PAHs - Feasibility, Pathways, and Byproduct Identification -- Masten
Release Date: 02/07/2001 - 61 - Developing Methods for the Remediation of Dense Nonaqueous Phase Liquids -- Miller
Release Date: 12/15/1999 - 56 - Electrolytic Strategies for Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents in Groundwater -- Betterton, Arnold
Release Date: 10/06/1999 - 53 - Supercritical Fluid Research is Leading to a Potential New Process for Remediation of PCB-Contaminated Soils and Sediments -- Tavlarides
Release Date: 08/25/1999 - 37 - Promising Developments are Made in the Real-Time Analysis of Combustion Emissions -- Lucas, Koshland
Release Date: 01/13/1999 - 24 - New Oxidative Technology Shows Promise For Treating Organic Chemical Contaminants in Water -- Scrudato
Release Date: 07/08/1998 - 13 - Research Points to Need for Reassessment of PCB Volatility -- Scrudato
Release Date: 02/10/1998 - 11 - Advances Made in Developing Organoclays for Use in Hazardous Waste Remediation -- Phillips, Boyd
Release Date: 01/07/1998