By Arif Rahman
SWBR Scientist
The Soil, Water, and Bioenergy Resources program at OSU South Centers, along with Dr. John Lenhart, a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering with The Ohio State University, have been funded to work on the development of Al-Fe/LDH intercalated activated carbon composite to control edge-of-field phosphorous and nitrogen loss.
The project, funded through the CFAES Internal Grants Program (IGP), will focus on the development of a “Buckeye Composite” material, and evaluate its field performance in controlling the offsite movement of soluble reactive P (SRP), nitrate, and ammonium. This study will provide researchers with baseline and real-time data to understand the SRP and N adsorption mechanisms. In addition, it will aid the team in writing large-scale grants on the mitigation of the edge-of-field P and N loss responsible for algal blooms and water quality problems of Lake Erie.
In addition, the Soil, Water, and Bioenergy team, along with Central State University, was awarded a $598,010 USDA capacity-building grant for a period of three years. The grant research will focus on the development of a holistic photocatalytic approach for controlling agriculturally-induced algal blooms and associated cyanotoxins in lakes and reservoirs. This project is aimed at the development of solar photocatalysts, based on charcoal composite and titanium, that are capable of reducing algal blooms and removing cyanotoxins from freshwater systems. Moreover, the team will mentor Central State University’s (CSU) institutional capacity building and advance the professional portfolios of faculty, staff, and students with research expertise to develop an economically viable and environmentally compatible water treatment system based on photocatalytic technology.