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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Advancing the use of DWTRs in stormwater treatment features to enhance phosphorus removal for transportation projects</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2437970</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Stormwater runoff from urban areas threatens water quality and ecosystems around the world. For freshwater ecosystems, phosphorus (P) is often a primary concern, as excess P loading can cause eutrophication, symptoms of which include harmful algal blooms and oxygen depletion. Dissolved P forms are taken up by primary producers and are therefore a particular concern for water quality. To mitigate these threats, stormwater control measures are often employed to reduce P loading. Sand filters are a type of stormwater management practice that primarily function to trap particulates and thereby reduce downstream sediment and P loads. However, sand filters typically exhibit a negligible capacity to retain dissolved P forms, due to low P sorption capacity of sand. To target both particulate and dissolved P species in stormwater, a P-sorbing material amendment can be added to sand filter media to increase P sorption capacity. This project examined the use of alum-based drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs), a waste byproduct of drinking water treatment plants, to enhance P removal in sand filter media. The research centered on a field study to determine stormwater P load reductions provided by DWTR-amended sand filters in transportation projects under real-world conditions. Two stormwater sand filters enhanced with DWTRs (3-5% of the sand layer by volume) were monitored from Fall 2022 to Spring 2024 in Chittenden County, Vermont. One filter receives runoff from a small catchment (1.8 acres) at a residential site (A) and the other from a larger catchment (4.5 acres) in an industrial/commercial area (B). The composition of influent stormwater was markedly different between sites, dominated by dissolved P at the residential site, and mostly particulate P at the more industrial/commercial site. Due to this difference in influent water quality, >99% of the total P removed at the residential sand filter was in the form of dissolved P, while only 4% of the total P load removed at the industrial/commercial site was dissolved P. Because removal of dissolved P by sand filters tends to be negligible, the dissolved P load reductions observed at both sites are likely attributable to the DWTRs. Overall, the two systems reduced total P loads by 65-78% during the monitored events. This field study indicates that including DWTRs in sand filter media is an effective way to couple both physical and chemical P removal mechanisms and thereby enhance water quality improvement performance. The researchers provide guidance on future use of DWTRs in stormwater infrastructure based on our findings. The researchers also present stormwater chloride data from the monitored events, which can be used in future efforts to assess road salt effects on stormwater characteristics in Vermont.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Oct 2024 11:48:30 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>Affordable On-Demand Testing of Water Contamination Using a Portable Nanoelectronic Lead Detector</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1757057</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent issues regarding lead in urban drinking water system have arisen. Specifically, the water distribution system in Newark, NJ has attracted a great deal of attention prompting the City and State DEP to conduct widespread testing and even distribution of water treatment devices and bottled water. The water distribution is aged and contains lead fittings that may impact water quality. The primary goal of this study is to develop and deploy a rapid, accurate lead sensing system for lead analysis in drinking water. In addition to accuracy, it is expected to demonstrate that the system can be used to sample a high volume of samples in a field setting with all of the difficulties that may come along with it.

The intended outcome of the project is a new portable electronic sensing platform for rapidly testing lead in water samples. The prototype developed during this research will be a potentially marketable product that will tap into a global market for water testing and analysis instruments valued at $3.5 billion in 2019. An on-site demonstration will be scheduled at the end of this project for various stakeholders to inform them of the availability and potential to this type of sensing system.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:27:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1757057</guid>
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      <title>National Research and Innovation Liaison Position at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1234789</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Water (OW) administers Federal clean water and safe drinking water laws, provides support for municipal wastewater treatment plants, and takes part in pollution prevention efforts aimed at protecting watersheds and sources of drinking water. The OW carries out both regulatory and voluntary programs to fulfill the Agency's mission to protect the Nation's waters. Transportation infrastructure development occurs on a project by project basis as well as in long-term planning through the activities promoted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Project Development and Environmental Review and the Office of Natural and Human Environment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:19:22 GMT</pubDate>
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