# Project 5: Novel Filtration Devices for Arsenic Reduction

> **NIH NIH P42** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $414,034

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: PROJECT 5
In the US, 14% of Americans rely on private wells as their drinking water source. In NC, geogenic and
anthropogenic contaminants (e.g., inorganic arsenic (iAs), manganese, chromium, and vanadium) infiltrate
private wells, placing residents at risk for health outcomes (e.g., diabetes associated with iAs exposure). An
estimated ~3 million individuals representing one-third of the population in NC drink water from private wells
with iAs concentrations up to 800 µg/L. The US EPA and NC-DHHS recommend reverse osmosis membrane
filtration and solid media to remove iAs from well water because these technologies require the fewest chemicals
and steps to remove iAs and are easy to implement. However, two important challenges to these two
technologies in this context are that both: (i) inadequately remove As(III) (i.e., the most hazardous iAs species),
and (ii) produce iAs-enriched waste. Of the two technologies, membranes are best suited to treat groundwater
because compared to solid media, they are more effective at removing As(III), are easier to operate, are more
compact, and afford faster access to clean water. However, membrane systems allow iAs-enriched brines to re-
enter into the water cycle and are not designed specifically to remove iAs and co-occurring contaminants (CCs).
Arguably, the most valuable advantage solid media has over membranes is that the resulting iAs-enriched waste
is easier to dispose. We hypothesize that an integrated membrane-sorbent system will remove iAs and
CCs from groundwater with better efficacy than existing in-home water treatment systems, while
minimizing iAs re-entry into the environment. Project 5 therefore aligns with the theme of the UNC-SRP
Center, “Identifying novel methods to reduce iAs exposure and elucidating mechanisms underlying iAs-
induced metabolic dysfunction with a vision for disease prevention” and addresses SRP Mandate 4 in
using hypothesis-driven research to develop a product-oriented solution for communities affected by exposure
to iAs and CCs. Project 5 will address research gaps to: (i) develop technologies that effectively remove As(III)
from water without chemical pretreatment; (ii) optimize the ability of membranes to remove iAs, especially As(III),
without compromising water productivity; (iii) develop sorbents to treat iAs-containing membrane brines; (iv)
introduce the concept of removing geogenic and anthropogenic CCs (i.e., Mn(II), Cr, V) from waters in addition
to the primary contaminant of concern (iAs); and (v) introduce biomedical metrics to assess performance of iAs
membrane filtration systems. We will accomplish our goals with three specific aims: First, we will develop and
optimize membranes to remove iAs and CCs from groundwater by combining polyamide, sulfonated poly(ether
ether ketone) (sPEEK), and/or mixed-matrix chemistries; Second, we will optimize a polyethylenimine (PEI)-
based granular sorbent for iAs and CCs removal from membrane brine; Third, we will de...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9841121
- **Project number:** 1P42ES031007-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Orlando Coronell Nieto
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $414,034
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9841121

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9841121, Project 5: Novel Filtration Devices for Arsenic Reduction (1P42ES031007-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9841121. Licensed CC0.

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