Project number: 23-09331L
Project title: Reactive Interfaces for Degrading Contaminants of Emerging Concern and Pathogenic Viruses in Constructed Wetlands
Donor: Grant Agency of the Czech Republic
Program: Lead Agency projects, cooperation with USA
Project coordinator: Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague
Project partners: University of Tennessee Knoxwille
Project leader of FES: Prof. Ing. Jan Vymazal CSc.
Contact person: Mgr. Michal Brož
Project duration: 01/2024 - 12/2026
Project budget of FES: 7 282 000 Kč
Project aims:
To clarify how solid-water interface generated by metal oxides (iron and manganese oxides) and air-water interface generated by air bubbles increase microbial/chemical degradation of
compounds of emerging concern and removal of viruses under aerobic-anaerobic conditions in
constructed wetlands.
Abtract:
We have observed that solid-water interface and air-water interface are rich in potentially reactive, abiotically and biotically produced iron and manganese oxides. The reactivity of these mineral phases towards compounds of emerging concern (CECs) and viral pathogens (VPs) depends on their physical/chemical properties, environmental conditions, and the intrinsic properties of the contaminants. Synthetic oxides may have limited reactivity towards some CECs and VPs. This could be overcome by tailoring their properties and exposure for the specific conditions within CWs and increasing their reactivity through addition of electron shuttles (i.e., natural or introduced into CWs).We hypothesize that CECs and viruses retained on the oxides are more degradable abiotically and by bacteria. Four specific objectives are to: (1) Functionalize SWI to bind and degrade CECs; (2) Optimize reaction conditions for virus binding and removal at SWI; (3) Maximize the co-removal of CECs and viruses under flowconditions; and (4) Validate the removal processes and mechanisms under CW-mimicking conditions.