# Project 4 - Portable, self-cleaning advanced electro-oxidation systems for distributed and point-of-use water treatment

> **NIH NIH P42** · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $248,044

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Study Objectives: The goal of this project is to develop and test a portable, low-maintenance, and self-
cleaning water purification technology for both point-of-use and point-of-entry water treatment. A novel electro-
Fenton (EF)-like Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Process (EAOP) will be coupled with sorption using
practical, cost-effective, environmentally friendly carbon-based porous cathodes. Two approaches will be
implemented: 1) removal of organic mixtures from the water via adsorption by carbon-based electrodes, then
regeneration of the adsorbent via application of the EAOP on the carbon-based porous cathode surfaces to
locally generate reactive oxygen species (ROS); and 2) simultaneous application of adsorption and EAOP. The
motivation for this work is the need to provide clean water to communities near Superfund sites in Puerto Rico
that lack access to clean water after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, as well as the need for a
water treatment technology that can be used in rural areas.
Study Approach: Laboratory studies will be conducted using water collected from the study area in Puerto
Rico. Target chemicals will include chlorinated solvents, phthalates, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs). Mechanistic studies will investigate continuous generation of ROS without addition of
traditional catalysts (Pd, Fe) that are expensive, waste-producing, or potentially toxic. Instead, we will use three
types of benign carbon-based cathodes: Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), Activated Carbon Fiber (ACF) and
Granular Biochar (GB). Enhancement techniques that include polarity reversal and floating cathodes will be
tested, and conditions that maximize continuous generation of ROS will be identified. Sorption characteristics
of the three carbon-based cathodes will be measured, and EAOP’s ability to regenerate the sorption capacity
of the cathodes and simultaneously oxidize aqueous contaminants will be tested. To improve understanding of
transformation pathways and mechanisms, we will measure changes in concentration of target organics and
analyze newly formed by-products. For these laboratory tests, water collected from Puerto Rico will be mixed
with model contaminants and used for testing. The variations in toxicity levels and mechanistic profiles during
the course of the electrochemically induced degradation will disclose potential causal agents and their links to
the degradation pathways. Scaling of operational parameters and performance, geochemical and hydraulic
parameters during operation, toxicity evolution, and potential adverse effects will be investigated. We will also
assess the risk reduction efficacy of the process using a novel toxicogenomics-based toxicity assessment.
Expected Results: Based on this technology, a portable water, self-cleaning treatment system will be
designed and tested on water samples from Puerto Rico. The system will be engineered for inclusion into both
point-of-use ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10335263
- **Project number:** 5P42ES017198-12
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Akram N Alshawabkeh
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $248,044
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2010-04-12 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10335263

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10335263, Project 4 - Portable, self-cleaning advanced electro-oxidation systems for distributed and point-of-use water treatment (5P42ES017198-12). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10335263. Licensed CC0.

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