Geochemical Controls on the Efficiency of Remediation Technologies for Arsenic, Fluoride & Emerging Contaminants in South Asian Groundwaters (GeoCERT)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences
Abstract
The accessibility of safe drinking water supplies is centrally linked to public health, well-being and economic prosperity globally. Chemical hazards, such as arsenic, fluoride and emerging organic contaminants, which may be present in groundwater due to natural and/or anthropogenic processes, can threaten the safety of drinking water supplies.
Remediation, or treatment, of water can be undertaken, prior to water consumption, using a variety of technologies to reduce exposures to chemical and microbial contaminants which may be present. However, effective implementation of remediation approaches can be challenging, particularly in areas where centralized, treated, piped water supplies are not available or accessible.
The optimal selection and management of appropriate remediation approaches can be challenging because of variability in the suitability of different types of remediation technologies, as well as variability in geochemical conditions, socio-economic and regulatory context, risk trade-offs and gaps in the availability of data relevant for decision-support (e.g. remediation efficiency testing, local geochemical conditions).
The aim of the GeoCERT project is to help address some of these challenges by establishing the relationship between the efficiency of market-available groundwater remediation technologies and source water chemistry to help support optimal selection of remediation strategies in the context of South Asia. Building on from our recent and ongoing research in Bihar, and working closely with Project Partners at Mahavir Cancer Sansthan (Patna, India) and University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia), we will systematically address this aim by investigating the performance of market-available remediation technologies for the removal of arsenic, fluoride and an example emerging organic contaminant (sucralose) in groundwaters representing the range of compositions found in Bihar, India.
With an underpinning focus on knowledge exchange and impact, we will work closely with our partners to produce catalytic outputs including leading publications reporting key findings, stakeholder guidance and submission of further proposals to develop robust, data-informed decision support systems for groundwater remediation in South Asia and elsewhere in the Global South.
Remediation, or treatment, of water can be undertaken, prior to water consumption, using a variety of technologies to reduce exposures to chemical and microbial contaminants which may be present. However, effective implementation of remediation approaches can be challenging, particularly in areas where centralized, treated, piped water supplies are not available or accessible.
The optimal selection and management of appropriate remediation approaches can be challenging because of variability in the suitability of different types of remediation technologies, as well as variability in geochemical conditions, socio-economic and regulatory context, risk trade-offs and gaps in the availability of data relevant for decision-support (e.g. remediation efficiency testing, local geochemical conditions).
The aim of the GeoCERT project is to help address some of these challenges by establishing the relationship between the efficiency of market-available groundwater remediation technologies and source water chemistry to help support optimal selection of remediation strategies in the context of South Asia. Building on from our recent and ongoing research in Bihar, and working closely with Project Partners at Mahavir Cancer Sansthan (Patna, India) and University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia), we will systematically address this aim by investigating the performance of market-available remediation technologies for the removal of arsenic, fluoride and an example emerging organic contaminant (sucralose) in groundwaters representing the range of compositions found in Bihar, India.
With an underpinning focus on knowledge exchange and impact, we will work closely with our partners to produce catalytic outputs including leading publications reporting key findings, stakeholder guidance and submission of further proposals to develop robust, data-informed decision support systems for groundwater remediation in South Asia and elsewhere in the Global South.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Laura Richards (Principal Investigator) | |
| David Polya (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Wilson G
(2024)
Discovery of sulfonamide resistance genes in deep groundwater below Patna, India
in Environmental Pollution
| Description | The first published findings of this award demonstrate an approach using machine learning to map the distribution of groundwater solutes (e.g. arsenic, iron and phosphate) in part to provide information to support the selection of groundwater arsenic remediation approaches which have been demonstrated to be dependent on groundwater chemistry. This approach has been demonstrated in Bangladesh (see Wu et al 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/w15203539) and a similar approach could be applied in other settings impacted by groundwater arsenic. Further findings based on field-based and lab-based investigations are currently undergoing data quality assurance and quality control checks and these findings will be updated as further work arising from this project is published. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes could be taken forward in the following ways: (i) approaches and methodologies can be more widely applied; (ii) findings are relevant to the siting, selection and management of groundwater arsenic remediation systems in impacted areas; and (iii) new research questions regarding the impacts of groundwater chemistry on remediation efficiency are the subject of further funding proposals. |
| Sectors | Environment |
| Description | Impact is emerging and this section will be updated as it evolves, noting the project was completed only a few months ago. During field campaigns, the research team interacted with 100s of non-academic stakeholders ranging from end-users to remediation system operators to non-governmental organizations and governmental members. We expect that this engagement, which also builds upon previous engagement with a range of stakeholders, will contribute to impact in the longer term. |
| Description | University of Manchester (UK) - KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) |
| Organisation | Royal Institute of Technology |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborations on remediation systems, groundwater quality and emerging contaminants (UoM team driving sampling design) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge and expertise related to remediation systems, groundwater quality and emerging contaminants |
| Impact | Wilson et al (under review as of 03/2024; details to be updated when available) |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | University of Manchester (UK) - Mahavir Cancer Sansthan (India) |
| Organisation | Mahavir Cancer Sansthan & Research Centre |
| Country | India |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Joint field campaigns, discussion and co-design of selected sampling/project objectives |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint field campaigns, discussion and co-design of selected sampling/project objectives, hosted lab and institutional visits in India |
| Impact | Project-specific outputs for GeoCERT are currently in preparation and will be updated. Multiple joint publications arising from previous projects (e.g. FAR-GANGA) include: Wilson et al 2023 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166208), Richards et al 2023 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121626), Richards et al 2022a (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104043), Richards et al 2022b (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154580), Richards et al 2022c (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118054), Richards et al 2021 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115765), and Richards et al 2020 (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072500). |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | University of Manchester (UK) - University of Melbourne (Australia) |
| Organisation | University of Melbourne |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Jointly supervised PhD students on arsenic and fluoride remediation in India |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly supervised PhD students on arsenic and fluoride remediation in India |
| Impact | Outputs in preparation (details to be updated when available) |
| Start Year | 2021 |