What is Environmental Engineering?

Majors Night October 18, 2006

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

What is Environmental Engineering (What is Environmental Engineering (EnvEEnvE)?)? HistoryHistory ExamplesExamples

Environmental Engineering at Penn StateEnvironmental Engineering at Penn State FacultyFaculty ResearchResearch CoursesCourses

What is Environmental Engineering?What is Environmental Engineering?

The monitoring, improvement, & protection The monitoring, improvement, & protection of the environment through designof the environment through design

Some examples of Environmental Some examples of Environmental Engineering todayEngineering today

Treatment of surface water, Treatment of surface water, groundwater, waste water, soil, & airgroundwater, waste water, soil, & air

Management of wetlands & watershedsManagement of wetlands & watersheds

Disposal of solid & hazardous wastesDisposal of solid & hazardous wastes

Production of renewable energyProduction of renewable energy

Design of Design of greengreen productsproducts

Environmental Engineering at Environmental Engineering at Penn State UniversityPenn State University

Dr. Rachel Brennan Dr. Bill Burgos Dr. Fred Cannon Dr. Brian Dempsey

Dr. Bruce LoganDr. Bruce Logan Dr. Jack Matson Dr. Jay Regan Dr. Ray Regan

Environmental Engineering Faculty Environmental Engineering Faculty at Penn State Universityat Penn State University

Environmental Engineering Research Environmental Engineering Research

BioEnergyBioEnergy ProductionProduction Microbial fuel cells, biological hydrogen productionMicrobial fuel cells, biological hydrogen production

BioremediationBioremediation Perchlorate, metals, radionuclides, acid mine drainage, Perchlorate, metals, radionuclides, acid mine drainage,

volatile organic compounds, nitratevolatile organic compounds, nitrate

Drinking water treatmentDrinking water treatment Activated carbon filtration, membrane filtration, coagulationActivated carbon filtration, membrane filtration, coagulation

Wastewater treatmentWastewater treatment Nitrification, urban runoffNitrification, urban runoff

Solid waste managementSolid waste management

EcopreneeringEcopreneering EcoEco--building, ecobuilding, eco--village, ecovillage, eco--products, ecoproducts, eco--etc.etc.

BioEnergy Production: Producing Electricity During Wastewater Treatment Using Microbial fuel cell (MFC)

A MFC is a device that use bacteria as a biocatalyst to oxidize organic matter and produce electricity. The bacteria (attached to the anode) produce electrons that travel to the cathode (current).

Proton Exchange membrane (PEM)

load

Anode Cathode

bact

eria

Oxidation products

(CO2)

Fuel (wastes)

e-e-

Oxidant (O2)

Reduced oxidant (H2O)

H+

This is a single-chambered MFC, developed by Professor Logans group at Penn State, to treat wastewater and produce electricity

Reference: Liu et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. (2004)

Bruce Logan, Professor of Environmental Engineering

Demonstration of a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)Demonstration of a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)

See a MFC working in real time: www.engr.psu.edu/mfccam

Biological Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen can be produced by bacteria from fermentation of sugarsGas is 60% pure H2 (balance is carbon dioxide)

H2- from any biomass using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs)

H2

Cathode

CO2 e-

H+

e-

Bacteria

Anode

PEM

No oxygen in cathode chamber

PS

Ref: Liu et al. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2005)

No oxygen in anode chamber

0.25 V needed (vs 1.8 V for water electrolysis)

Drinking water treatment:Perchlorate bioremediation 4

Perchlorate respiringculture (optional)

Supplemental carbon source with(optional) N, P addition

Backwash withchlorate, N, P,acetate

Contaminatedwater source

Perchloratefree water

Sandfilter

ATTRIBUTES:Continuous perchlorate removalClogging avoided by intermittent backwashBiofilm regeneration by side process

Patent No. 6214607

Perchlorate (used in rocket propellent) can be degraded using bacteria.

Bioremediation of Groundwater: enhancing the transport of pollutant-degrading bacteria

Saturated Zone

Injection Well Withdrawal well

Zone of reactivecolloidal particles

Using atomic force microscopy to understand bacterial adhesion at the nano-scale.

Bioremediation of Metals and Radionuclides

Soluble U(VI) Insoluble UO2(s)

Soluble Cr(VI) Insoluble Cr(OH)3(s)

Soluble Tc(VII) Insoluble TcO2(s)

Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3

Cell-free

UO2(s) U(VI)(aq)

Biogenic UO2(s) nanoparticles

How is AMD formed?How is AMD formed?

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is caused by physical & Acid mine drainage (AMD) is caused by physical & chemical weathering of pyrite (fools gold), FeSchemical weathering of pyrite (fools gold), FeS22

Very common problem in PennsylvaniaVery common problem in Pennsylvania Abandoned coal minesAbandoned coal mines II--99 construction!99 construction!

Yellow BoyYellow Boy Formation from Typical MinesFormation from Typical Mines

Elevated aluminum in mine water discharge

Elevated iron in mine water discharge

Passive treatment system for mine

discharge

Untreated mine discharge

Innovative Treatment of AcidInnovative Treatment of Acid--Mine DrainageMine DrainageJon Dietz & Prof. DempseyJon Dietz & Prof. Dempsey

Inflow

MixerAir

Reactor Tank

Settling Tank

Iron Precipitate

Inflow

MixerAir

Reactor Tank

Settling Tank

Iron Precipitate

Inflow

MixerAir

Reactor Tank

Settling Tank

Iron Precipitate

Abiotic treatment with recirculation,pH 5.5 to 6.8

IRR > 1000 g/m2/dHigh-density sludge

Temperature Compensated & Normalized by Fe(II), Fe(III), & DO

y = 2.195x - 15.821R2 = 0.976

y = 0.9006x - 7.7207R2 = 0.2257

-4.2

-3.5

-2.8

-2.1

-1.4

5.0 5.4 5.8 6.2 6.6 7.0pH

log(

Kto

t/DO

/Fe(

III))y = 0.6602x2 - 6.8299x + 18.605

R2 = 0.776

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

5 5.5 6 6.5

pH

Log

Nor

mal

ized

[Fe(

II)So

rb]

Model Data Poly. (Data)

Field and Laboratory Analyses of PA Streams Field and Laboratory Analyses of PA Streams Degraded by AcidDegraded by Acid--Mine DrainageMine DrainageByungtae Park & Prof. DempseyByungtae Park & Prof. Dempsey

Evaluation of Porous Pavement & Infiltration to Evaluation of Porous Pavement & Infiltration to Prevent to Deal with Flooding and Urban RunoffPrevent to Deal with Flooding and Urban RunoffDavid Swisher & Prof. DempseyDavid Swisher & Prof. Dempsey

Table 6.2. Chemical Analysis for 6/4/02 Storm Event

Porous Lot Control Lot Ca, mg/L 12.5 13.5 Cu, mg/L

Membrane Filtration for the Production of Potable Membrane Filtration for the Production of Potable Water & for ReWater & for Re--use of Wastewateruse of WastewaterKevin Choi & Prof. DempseyKevin Choi & Prof. Dempsey

-5.0

-4.5

-4.0

-3.5

6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5

pH

log

Al

AlumPAC70ACHACH w/acid 27.5

38.5

36.8

23.8

11.2

30.526.1

ZP = 0

% removal of TOC is given next to points

Drinking Water TreatmentDrinking Water Treatment

Wastewater TreatmentWastewater Treatment

Environmental BiotechnologyEnvironmental Biotechnology

AOB clones

from pilot plant

0.1

Nm.oligotropha Nm45

Nm.ureaeNm. AL212

Nm. JL21Nm. aestuarii Nm36

Nm. marina Nm22Nm. cryotolerans

Nm. europaeaNm. eutropha C91

Nm. halophila Nm1Nc. mobilis Nc2Nm. communis Nm2

Nm. nitrosa Nm90Ns. tenuis

Ns. briensis C128Ns. multiformis 25196Gallionella ferruginea

Rhodocyclus spPropionivibrio dicarboxylicus

Ralstonia eutrophaNc. halophilus Nc2Nc. oceanus C27

Escherichia coli ATCC11775T

2 clones

3 clones11 clones

4 clones11 clones

Nitrosomonas oligotropha

cluster

marina cluster

europaeaclustercommunisclusterNitrosospira

Brennan Research GroupBrennan Research GroupDepartment of Civil & Environmental EngineeringDepartment of Civil & Environmental EngineeringThe Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USAThe Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

Enhanced Bioremediation of Soil & Enhanced Bioremediation of Soil & Groundwater Contaminants through Groundwater Contaminants through Alternative Nutrient & Delivery TechniquesAlternative Nutrient & Delivery Techniques

Groundwater Contamination by Groundwater Contamination by Tetrachloroethene (PCE)Tetrachloroethene (PCE)

Dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL)Dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) Difficult to remove using Difficult to remove using pump & treatpump & treat

Microorganisms can gain energy by degrading PCEMicroorganisms can gain energy by degrading PCE Reductive dechlorination (a.k.a. Reductive dechlorination (a.k.a. halo