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Arsenic Removal System for Residential and Point-of-Use Applications
EPA Contract Number: 68D03062Title: Arsenic Removal System for Residential and Point-of-Use Applications
Investigators: Turchi, Craig S.
Small Business: ADA Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Manager, SBIR Program
Phase: II
Project Period: October 1, 2003 through December 31, 2004
Project Amount: $225,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2002)
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Water , Water and Watersheds
Description:
Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a severe health risk to populations throughout the world, including the United States. In recognition of this threat, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently lowered its water standard for arsenic from 50 ppb to 10 ppb. This change is expected to impact 10 percent of U.S. community drinking water systems, with the operators of small water systems and individual well water users facing the greatest challenge in meeting this new standard.
All water systems serving 25 or more users must meet the new standard for arsenic. However, systems supplying between 25 and 500 users typically are not large enough to make centralized treatment systems cost effective. Consequently, such systems often will use distributed point-of-use and point-of-entry (POU/POE) treatment units. A historic difficulty with such arrangements, particularly for home use, is determining when the device requires service?a feature required by law.
The goal of this Phase II research project is to demonstrate a compact, simple system for arsenic removal in POU/POE drinking water systems. The unit will combine a highly effective arsenic sorbent with an arsenic monitoring sensor and alarm to alert the user that the bed requires replacement. The system features ADA Technologies, Inc.'s new Amended SilicateTM sorbent, a material that exhibits long life and the ability to remove both forms of arsenic commonly found in well water.
During Phase II, ADA will refine the novel arsenate sensor proposed and assembled in Phase I. Concurrently, the Amended SilicateTM sorbent formulation will be optimized. ADA will integrate the sensor and sorbent into a compact water-treatment package. The prototype POU system then will be tested on arsenic-contaminated water in locations in southern Colorado. The goal is to provide an affordable unit with an operation as understandable as a home smoke alarm?a device that alerts when danger exists and provides peace of mind when all is well.
Supplemental Keywords:small business, SBIR, EPA, arsenic, drinking water, point-of-use, point-of-entry, POU, POE, well water, small water systems, monitoring, sensor, silicate sorbent , POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Water, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Scientific Discipline, Health, RFA, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, Arsenic, Drinking Water, Risk Assessments, Physical Processes, Water Pollutants, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Monitoring, other - risk management, point of use treatment, arsenic exposure, arsenic removal, human health risk, monitoring, contaminant removal, drinking water treatment, well water, exposure, human health, water treatment, human exposure
Progress and Final Reports:
Final Report
Arsenic Removal System for Residential and Point-of-Use Applications