# CAREER: CAS: Discovering the Early Stages of Photodegradation of Emerging Contaminants in Marine Relevant Environments

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA) · $700,000

## Abstract

With support from the Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS) program in the Division of Chemistry and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Professor Tolga Karsili of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is investigating the UV-induced breakdown of Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (CECs) in marine environments. CECs include chemicals that are found in everyday products like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and cleaning products and end up in oceans through wastewater or recreational activities. Their photodegradation mechanisms in saltwater environments, particularly in the sub-nanosecond timescales on which environmentally toxic intermediates are expected to form, remain largely elusive. Professor Karsili and his team will use quantum chemistry and ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy to investigate how common CECs photodegrade in bulk seawater solutions and at the air-sea interface. Their studies could contribute to the fundamental understanding of the photodegradation mechanisms of common CECs in marine relevant environments and could provide detailed information on the environmental impact of CECs when discharged into surface waters. The educational and outreach efforts of the project include the use of virtual reality to help undergraduates visualize complex chemical concepts and hosting a computational chemistry summer camp for local high school students.

CECs are mostly lipophilic, meaning they preferentially accumulate at the air-water int

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2443447
- **Awardee organization:** University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** C169K7T4QZ96
- **PI:** Tolga Karsili
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** CAS-Critical Aspects of Sustainability, CAREER-Faculty Erly Career Dev, EXP PROG TO STIM COMP RES
- **Estimated total:** $700,000
- **Funds obligated:** $700,000
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 07/01/2025 → 06/30/2030

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2443447

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2443447, CAREER: CAS: Discovering the Early Stages of Photodegradation of Emerging Contaminants in Marine Relevant Environments. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-07 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2443447. Licensed CC0.

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