engineering researchers

Seeking sustainable solutions for the global challenge of safe drinking water

Seeking sustainable solutions for the global challenge of safe drinking water

Lead is not the only danger when it comes to drinking water - harmful bacteria can also find their way into the water we consume despite treatment prior to distribution. In the face of water scarcity and aging infrastructure, there is a need for innovative, affordable, and portable solutions to sustainably provide safe drinking water across the globe. Engineering researchers from the University of Pittsburgh will use a $500K CAREER award from the National Science Foundation to create a sustainable material design framework to mitigate pathogen exposure in this invaluable resource.

New technique could help decontaminate oilsands process water

New technique could help decontaminate oilsands process water

New technology developed by engineers at the University of Alberta shows potential in cleaning and decontaminating process water from oilsands production. The process relies on ozonation and biofilters to remove organic compounds from contaminated water. The study, published in Science of the Total Environment, demonstrates that the method, previously used to clean pharmaceutical waste water, efficiently removes naphthenic acids, considered to be one of the main contaminants in oilsands process water.