** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RECYCLING WASTEWATER CAN HELP MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR FOOD. HOWEVER, REMOVING HARMFUL HEAVY METALS FROM WASTEWATER IS DIFFICULT DUE TO THEIR SMALL SIZE AND VARIETY. CURRENT METHODS TO DETECT THESE METALS ARE COSTLY AND COMPLICATED, AND THE IRREGULAR MONITORING OF FILTRATION SYSTEMS REDUCES THEIR EFFECTIVENESS OVER TIME.TO SOLVE THESE ISSUES, WE PROPOSE DEVELOPING A NEW TYPE OF MEMBRANE THAT CAN BOTH MONITOR AND REMOVE HEAVY METALS IN REAL-TIME. THIS MEMBRANE IS MADE FROM A NEW MATERIAL THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY CAPTURE VARIOUS METALS AND CAN BE REUSED. IT INCLUDES SENSORS THAT GENERATE SIGNALS BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF METALS, WHICH ARE THEN ANALYZED BY A MACHINE-LEARNING ALGORITHM TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT METALS AND THEIR AMOUNTS. THIS DATA-DRIVEN METHOD WILL HELP OPTIMIZE THE MEMBRANE'S OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
$604,500FY2024National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA
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