Yale University
225 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06520
phone: 203.432.5215
greenchemistry@yale.edu

Water

  • Arsenic Remediation Using Metal Oxide Impregnated Chitosan Beads

     Details...
    Center members are working on the development of a sustainable bio-adsorbent technology for remediation of arsenic-contaminated drinking water.
    Photo: Arsenic Remediation Using Metal Oxide Impregnated Chitosan Beads

    Metal oxides are excellent adsorbents for arsenic, but require energy-intensive filtration after treatment. The technology we developed exploits the performance of metal oxides, but removes the need for filtration by embedding the active components in chitosan - a hydrogel sourced from shellfish waste.  Further applications of this technology are being explored, in particular extension to other wastewater contaminants.

    Related Publications:

  • Biodegradation of C-glycoside surfactants

     Details...
    Evaluating the biodegradation of C-glycoside surfactants to determine the environmental fate of this class of chemicals.

    The aim is to monitor the break-down byproducts created during the biodegradation of a C-glycoside surfactant by a mixed microbial culture. Identifying these byproducts will lead to establishment of a biodegradation pathway that is also likely to happen in the environment as a result of interaction of these chemicals with microorganisms. The goal is to determine the biodegradability of these surfactants and their break-down metabolites in order to predict their environmental fate.

  • Civil Infrastructure Systems: Fostering Leapfrog Adoption of Green Infrastructure through Optimization of Urban Storm Water and Nitrogen Cycles

     Details...
    Comprehensively evaluating and modeling green and grey stormwater systems to optimize environmental function, geospatial placement, and social and economic benefit to leapfrog current costly infrastructure design and support local, state, and federal policy-making for sustainable stormwater systems investments.

    This project brings together students, faculty, citizens, and local, state and federal policy-makers in partnership to meet four aims: 1) critical review of current green infrastructure knowledge and implementation; 2) place-based characterization of hydrologic/nitrogen cycling by and socio-economic function of green infrastructure (south-, central- and northeastern urban seaboard); 3) GIS-supported geospatial optimization of hydrologic/nitrogen cycles by varying location of green infrastructure practices; 4) development of decision-support and policy recommendations for best-practice in green infrastructure investment.

  • MUSES Project - A Systems Dynamics Approach for Urban Water Reclamation-Reuse Planning: A Case Study from the Great Lakes Region

     Details...
    The project involves creating a systems dynamics computer model of the water/wasterwater system, extending the system to include water reuse and determining if water reuse is cost effective under different scenarios.

    Appropriate water reclamation and reuse practices are critical due to increasing water scarcity, concerns about the effect of wastewater discharges on receiving water, and availability of high-performing and cost-effective water reuse technologies.  However, incorporation of water reuse schemes into water/wastewater infrastructure systems is a complex decision-making process, involving various economical, technological, and environmental criteria.  System dynamics allows modeling of complex systems and provides information about the feedback behavior of the system.  We are applying our comprehensive system dynamics model of water/wastewater systems to various cities’ scenarios to determine potential for water reuse.

  • Sustainable Urban Stormwater Management: Critical Review and Path Forward

     Details...
    A critical review of the science of sustainable stormwater management, including definition of best management practices and low impact developments for stormwater, green infrastructure, as well as sustainable stormwater management; modeling to inform stormwater practice; optimized watershed scale design; and implementation.

    Literature from both academic and public sources is considered in order to provide a holistic perspective.  There are many tools available for stormwater management, but there is little evidence of systematic design processess and outcomes due to the lack of 1) large-scale environmental performace data; 2) cost-effectiveness studies that include life cycle costs; and 30 pricin and policy structures that engage broader stakeholders.  We presented a decision process based on systems thinking and show where current literature meets decision-making needs, where research gaps exist, and how research needs should be prioritized to support sustainable stormwater infrastructure implementation.  We are aslo starting data collection and model development of hydrology in the city of New Haven to test best management practices in model setting.