Wednesday, April 2, 2008 : 9:20 a.m.
Sustainable Technologies and an Implementation Strategy for Arsenic and Fluoride Removal in Developing Areas
Arsenic and fluoride exist above the WHO recommended limits of .010 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L, respectively, in the natural drinking water sources of many regions of the world. This presentation evaluates the suitability of several types of bone char for use as a filtration technology for the removal of arsenic and fluoride to WHO recommended levels in remote areas of developing countries. Bone char is a low-cost treatment solution which has the potential to be sustainable for developing economies by using local resources in the treatment method. The results of batch and column studies with these bones chars will be presented.
Current water projects often fail after one to three years for a variety of reasons including: loss of community interest, lack of money for maintenance and repairs, deficiency in knowledge required for repairs and a shortage of information regarding the importance of technology utilization. Implementing projects via a business model not only improves access to potable water, but also offers the potential to increase the economic viability of the area while solving many of the current implementation problems. The model presented develops a plan for community members to implement and sustain water purification technology in their area in a way that will promote the ideals of sustainable development.
Laura R. Brunson, BBA, University of Oklahoma Laura R. Brunson is a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Brunson received a Bachelor of Business in 2002 from the University of Oklahoma. Her experience includes corporate and nonprofit management, sales and marketing positions as well as co-founding Sustainable OKC, a nonprofit organization in Oklahoma City. Her research focuses on the development of sustainable methods for removing arsenic and fluoride from water sources to increase access to potable water in developing areas both locally and globally. She is currently working on her MS under Dr. Sabatini in the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science.
David A. Sabatini, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma Dr. Sabatini is David Ross Boyd Professor and Sun Oil Company Chair of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science at the University of Oklahoma. His research interests include development of water treatment processes, ground water remediation technologies and environmentally friendly chemical processes and products. He is Director of the WaTER (Water Technologies for Emerging Regions) Center, whose mission is to help solve drinking water challenges for emerging regions, both internationally and locally, through innovative teaching and research initiatives. He received his BSCE from the University of Illinois – Urbana, his MSCE from Memphis State University, and his PhD from Iowa State University.
Thabani Mlilo, MS, University of Oklahoma Thabani Mlilo is a 2007 MS graduate from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Mlilo completed his thesis work on arsenic and fluoride removal in Dr. Sabatini’s research group. Mlilo has worked in the Oil and Gas industry as part of the Environmental Toxicology, Product Safety, Industrial Ecology and Risk Studies groups in the Research and Development division of SASOL, based in South Africa. He has experience in toxicity testing, surface and ground water quality monitoring, ecological and environmental risk assessments, effluent treatment, and public participation forums.