jhu applied physics laboratory

Tracy J. Terry, PhDJHUAPL

Imprinted Chitosanfor

Nutrient Sequestration

Imprinted ChitosanOverview

Use fishing industry by-products

to treat agricultural waste!

Imprinted ChitosanImpact

Biocompatible Biocompatible

BiodegradableBiodegradable

Natural Starting MaterialsNatural Starting Materials

Aqueous Material ProcessingAqueous Material Processing

Recyclable as FertilizerRecyclable as Fertilizer

Chitosan – EPA/FDA ApprovedEnvironmentally Safe and Biocompatible

Blood clotting agent in field bandages Immune system enhancement in plants

Used in Iraq and Afghanistan.Used to fight Pine Beetles infestations.

Effluent treatment at construction sites. Fiber supplement used for weight loss.

Chesapeake Bay Program

Imprinted ChitosanImprinting Targets

Phosphate – fertilizerAgricultural run-offNutrient feed for algal bloomsLeads to dead zones

Nitrate – fertilizerAgricultural run-off

Nutrient feed for algal bloomsLeads to dead zones

Arsenite/Arsenate – antibioticPassed into chicken litter as water-soluble arsenite/arsenateLeaches into watershed Toxic to humans and animals

Imprinted ChitosanMethods for Use

In conjunction with Chicken Litter Fertilizer Absorb excess phosphate and/or arsenicIncorporate into chicken litter pelletsApply to fields with chicken litter

Apply to existing wastewater treatment facilitiesMedia FiltersRetention Ponds Wetland Basins Wetland Channels

Photo by Stephen Ausmus. Science Daily

Chesapeake Bay Program

Chesapeake Bay Program

Imprinted ChitosanImprinting Process

ChitosanChitosan

Imprinted Chitosan

Treat Waste

Imprint

Relax the Polymer

Add Scaffolding

Remove ImprintRecycle

Imprinted Chitosan Results

First Generation

Proof of concept achieved

Phosphate imprint

~$8,000

Not yet optimized

Uptake of Phosphate

Phosphate (wt %)

pH = 4 pH = 7 pH = 8

Chitosan 1.61 0.47 0.15

Phosphate Imprinted Chitosan

2.00 0.79 0.46

% Improvement[(PIC-C)/C *100]

25 70 200

Phosphate

Imprinted ChitosanFuture Work

Pursue funding

Obtain selectivity results

Optimize each step of the process.pH of imprinting stepextent of cross-linking

Process the polymer into beads for enhanced filtration.

Modify Chitosan for other uses.Nitrate SequestrationArsenite/Arsenate

SequestrationHyperphosphaetemia

TreatmentMetal Ion Sequestration

Size, Shape, and Charge differences should allow selectivity for imprinting different ions.

Nitrate PhosphateArsenite

Arsenate

Imprinted ChitosanContact Information

Tracy J. Terry, PhDTracy.Terry@jhuapl.edu

Heather CurranHeather.Curran@jhuapl.edu

Acknowledgements:This work was supported by the Office of Technology Transfer and the Technical Services Department of JHUAPL.