Project Info

*Applications of Engineered Wetlands for Water Treatment

Jonathan Sharp
jsharp@mines.edu
We are studying various aspects of contaminant attenuation by a novel type of engineered wetland. Our present focus is on metals and nutrients which links to national academy grand challenges associated with clean water, managing the nitrogen cycle, and improve urban infrastructure . Of recent interest, we have been able to establish a pilot scale indoor flow-through system on campus for further experimentation. A goal of this project is to design and deploy an analogous system in Arequipa, Peru to treat contaminated river waters in the region and study by our collaborators there.

More Information:

Grand Challenge: Provide access to clean water
Brady AR, Vega MA, Riddle KN, Peel HF, Lundeen EJ, Siegmund JG, Sharp JO. (2021) Biomat resilience to desiccation and flooding within a shallow, unit process open water engineered wetland. Water 13:815. Scholes RC, Vega MA, Sharp JO, Sedlak DL (2021) Nitrate removal from reverse osmosis concentrate in pilot-scale open-water unit process wetlands. Environ Sci: Water Res Technol 7:650-61. Jasper JT, Nguyen MT, Jones ZL, Ismail NS, Sedlak DL, Sharp JO, Luthy RG, Horne AJ, Nelson KL (2013). Unit process wetlands for removal of trace organic contaminants and pathogens from municipal wastewater effluent. Environ Engrg Science. 30(8): 409-420

Primary Contacts:

Senior graduate student or postdoc (TBD).

Student Preparation

Qualifications

Desire to engage in research at the interface of microbiology, environmental engineering and hydrology. Proficiency in spoken and written Spanish is a bonus (for interactions with our collaborators in Peru) but not required.

TIME COMMITMENT (HRS/WK)

5

SKILLS/TECHNIQUES GAINED

Laboratory skills and experimentation. Teamwork. Trouble shooting a pilot scale laboratory system. Data analysis. Presentation of results.

MENTORING PLAN

We have a robust laboratory group with postdocs and graduate students. The MURF will be paired with an existing member of the laboratory for day to day activities. Both that more senior laboratory member and the MURF will be guided and supported by Professor Sharp

PREFERRED STUDENT STATUS

Sophomore
Junior
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