Award Data

Methane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). Human activity related radiative forcing by methane accounts for about half of that caused by CO2. In the U.S., the largest industrial source of CH4 is oil and gas systems. Fugitive sources are often identified as potentially large sources of CH4 emissions; however, multiple measurement challenges inhibit more co ...

As the single largest consumer of materials and energy use worldwide, the construction sector remains a prime target for materials reuse reform. (Krausmann et al., 2009; De Ia Rue du Can & Price, 2008). Construction and ongoing operation of the built environment extracts a significant amount of resources -- and on an ongoing basis. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), buildings ac ...

Approximately 25% of all anthropogenic generated methane comes from the oil and gas industry, and it is estimated that ~6% of those emissions are from storage tanks used in the production phase. Methane has a shorter lifetime in the atmosphere but has a significantly greater warming potential than carbon dioxide on short time scales. The emissions from these storage tanks are not well known, and n ...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as a pervasive and persistent threat to drinking water throughout the world. Called ‘forever chemicals” because their high stability leads PFAS to build up in the environment. PFAS accumulates in the blood from exposures and is associated with various cancers and other illnesses. There is an urgent need for a technology that can both remo ...

The EPA has identified a need for new methods and instrumentation to characterize size, shape, and composition of microplastics, especially in the size range of 1 µm – 1 mm. To meet the needs identified by EPA, we propose development of a portable sensor for improved microplastic sampling and characterization useable at remote measurement sites or fixed installations. The sensor would be connec ...

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of the six "criteria" pollutants listed in the Clean Air Act that are regulated under the EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). SO2 is the most abundant anthropogenic sulfur compound in the troposphere, and is mainly emitted through coal and petroleum combustion, petroleum refining, and metal smelting operations. Although national ambient air quality trend ...

To monitor the freshness of fresh produce in storage and during transportation, we propose using a gas sensor based on swept]wavelength broadly tunable external cavity quantum cascade lasers (EQCCLs).These sensors detect, identify, and quantify multiple chemical species in the airspace near the sensor continuously and in real]time, with part]per]billion level sensitivity. The sensors will ...

The EPA has established health advisory levels at 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for combined PFAS concentration. Water resources are susceptible to contamination by PFAS release from industry and landfill sites. Consequently, there is a need for on-site pretreatment technologies for PFASs in industrial wastewater. Electrochemical treatment has been shown to be effective for the mineralization of PFA ...

Aging infrastructure is a major challenge faced by the water utilities in the USA and across the globe, and with an overall rating of D by the ASCE, water distribution systems are no exception. Approximately 240,000 water main breaks occur in US systems every year with a cost of at least $3.6 billion. As such, innovative, economical, and sustainable solutions are needed in renewing the water trans ...

The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment represents an emerging issue due to their stability, bioaccumulation potential, and risks to human and ecological well-being. There is a critical need to develop sampling methods for PFAS to assess risks and inform remedial investigations and feasibility studies (RI/FS) at locations where historical releases have elevate ...