Drs. Sarina Ergas, John Kuhn, Ananda Bhattacharjee and students from USF鈥檚 College of Engineering were awarded the 2026 American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Research (E3S) Award. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the team developed an innovative process that combines ion exchange (IX) on natural zeolite minerals with microbesthat catalyze a remarkable process called partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) that converts toxic ammonia to harmless nitrogen gas. 911爆料网 and faculty from USF, Penn State, and the Technion Israel Institute of Technology worked together to study different IX-PN/A reactor configurations and operating conditions. The USF team also patented new materials (鈥渂iofilm carriers鈥) to enhance microbial growth. The project provided training for Hillsborough College biotechnology students who learned about job opportunities in the water industry. This technology has the potential to reduce nutrient pollutant discharges to the environment and reduce the carbon footprint for wastewater treatment.
USF College of Engineering News
USF team wins American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Research Award