OUR LONG TERM GOAL IS TO DESIGN INEXPENSIVE, MULTIFUNCTIONAL AND REUSABLE FILTRATION DEVICES VIA FUNCTIONALIZATION AND ENGINEERING OF UBIQUITOUS BIOPOLYMERS FOR HIGH THROUGHPUT APPLICATIONS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT. IN THIS PROPOSED STUDY, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT MULTIFUNCTIONAL HYDROGEL BASED FILTRATION DEVICE CAN BE STRATEGICALLY DESIGNED BY FUNDAMENTAL CHEMISTRY AND ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES TO SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS FOR EFFICIENT TREATMENT OF RECYCLED WASTEWATER. WE WILL TEST THE HYPOTHESIS BY CONDUCTING 3 OBJECTIVES: 1) PREPARE POROUS HYDROGEL BEADS AND FUNCTIONALIZE THEM WITH CATIONIC QUATERNARY AMMONIUM AND EDTA-LIKECHELATING GROUPS; 2) INVESTIGATE THE FUNCTIONALIZED BEADS FOR BIOCIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST MICROORGANISMS AND SORPTION KINETICS AGAINST CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS COMMONLY PRESENT IN WASTEWATER; AND 3) DESIGN A PROTOTYPE FILTRATION FACILITY AND VALIDATE THE EFFICACY OF AS-DEVELOPED HYDROGEL BEADS IN A CONTINUOUS FLOW SYSTEM, MIMICKING THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN REAL SCENARIO. THE OUTCOME OF THIS STUDY WILL LEAD TO THE INVENTION OF INEXPENSIVE BIOPOLYMER-BASED FILTRATION DEVICE TO CONTROL THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF RECYCLED WASTEWATER FOR IRRIGATION. THE FINDINGS FROM THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO U.S. AGRICULTURE BY PROVIDING A REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGY TO DEVELOP A LOW-COST, MULTIFUNCTIONAL AND REUSABLE FILTRATION DEVICE THAT HOLDS A HIGH POTENTIAL TO FIT THE EXISTING PIPELINES OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT FOR HIGH THROUGHPUT APPLICATIONS, A STEP FURTHER TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. THIS STUDY ADDRESSES SEVERAL EMPHASIZED AREAS OF THE BIOENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM, AND THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY, ENGINEERING FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS FOCUSING ON GAINING BOTH FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED KNOWLEDGE TO ENABLE ENGINEERING FOR NATURAL RESOURCES.