Research and Development Office

Evaluating Contaminates of Emerging Concern’s Fate in Potable Reuse Membrane Treatment

Project ID: 20083
Principal Investigator: Saied Delagah
Research Topic: Desalination and Water Treatment
Funded Fiscal Years: 2020 and 2021
Keywords: None

Research Question

The project will seek to better understand the fate and transport of contaminants of emerging concern during advanced water treatment processes used for potable water reuse applications. Many Reclamation stakeholders are pursuing water reuse to reduce their burden on existing supplies, but critical questions remain, and this project will focus on one of those issues. Understanding the concentrations and removal options for the CECs will help inform the water reuse treatment process and inform decisions on concentrate management disposal options.

Need and Benefit

Have you heard about caffeine or ibuprofen in your water used for your morning coffee? A little extra kick in your morning Joe is always good plus some ibuprofen never hurts, right? What about some estrogenic compounds in that coffee? How about three eyed fish? Well this fun exercise can go on. However, there are over 250 CECs that have been measure in wastewater and many other byproducts of CECs that have not been identified yet or detected. As potable reuse gains more popularity due to water shortages, lower cost of treatment and being a sustainable water resource, better understanding of CECs are needed to reduce their impact on human health and the environment.

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Please contact research@usbr.gov about research products related to this project.

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