I-Corps: Photochemical Treatment Technology

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of technology that will provide access to clean water. This project will generate knowledge to develop efficient, cost-effective and sustainable per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance treatment technologies, help the water industry and industry dischargers, prepare our society for water sustainability, and ultimately protect public health. The customers for the technologies include the industrial wastewater dischargers, hazardous waste site managers, municipal water districts, private water companies, chemical manufacturing industries, and government agencies. This project will enhance US technological competitiveness in the water sector by accelerating new knowledge transfer. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a vacuum ultraviolet light-driven photochemical technology for treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. This technology is a clean and energy-efficient medium that directly photolyzes water to a pool of energetic radicals. The traditional application of this system for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance treatment is limited by an unreactive environment (i.e., simultaneous generation of oxidative and reductive radicals) and low quantum yield of radicals. This project will develop an innovative system that overcomes the deficiencies, and elucidate the unique mechanism for generation, propagation, and manipulation of reactive radicals for a complete destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.