Abstract There is a strong impetus to establish a circular phosphorus economy by securing internally renewable phosphate (Pi) resources for use as agricultural fertilizers. Reversible Piadsorption technologies such as ion exchange can remove and recover Pifrom water/wastewater for reuse. However, existing reversible adsorbents cannot effectively discriminate against arsenate (As(V)) due to the similarity between As(V) and Pichemical structure. If As(V) is co‐recovered with Pi, the value of the recovered products for agricultural reuse is low. The objective of this study was to construct an immobilized phosphate‐binding protein (PBP)‐based Piremoval and recovery system and analyze its selectivity for Piadsorption in the presence of As(V). A range of conditions was tested, including independent, sequential, and simultaneous exposure of the two oxyanions to immobilized PBP (PBP resin). The purity of the recovered Piproduct was assessed after inducing controlled desorption of the adsorbed oxyanions at high pH (pH 12.5). Piconstituted more than 97% of the adsorbed oxyanions in the recovered product, even when As(V) was initially present at twofold higher concentrations than Pi. Therefore, PBP resin has potential to selectively remove Pi, as well as release high‐purity Pifree of As(V) contamination suitable for subsequent agricultural reuse. Practitioner pointsExisting reversible phosphate (Pi) adsorbents cannot effectively discriminate against arsenate (As(V)) due to the similarity in their chemical structure.Co‐recovery of As(V) with Pican reduce the recovered product's reuse as a fertilizer.An immobilized phosphate‐binding protein (PBP)‐based system can be highly selective for Pieven in the presence of As(V).Piconstituted more than 97% of the recovered product, even when As(V) was present at 2‐fold higher concentrations than Pi.Immobilized PBP offers advantages over existing Piadsorbents by providing high‐purity Piproducts free of As(V) contamination for reuse.
more »
« less
Weathering Environmental Change Through Advances in AI
Developing trustworthy artificial intelligence for weather and ocean forecasting, as well as for long-term environmental sustainability, requires integrating collaborative efforts from many sources.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2019758
- PAR ID:
- 10512822
- Publisher / Repository:
- AGU
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Eos
- Volume:
- 101
- ISSN:
- 2324-9250
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract We report the synthesis, X‐ray crystal structure, and molecular recognition properties of pillar[n]arene derivativeP[6]AS, which we refer to as Pillar[6]MaxQ along with analoguesP[5]ASandP[7]AStoward guests1–18. The ultratight binding affinity ofP[5]ASandP[6]AStoward quaternary (di)ammonium ions renders them prime candidates for in vitro and in vivo non‐covalent bioconjugation, for imaging and delivery applications, and as in vivo sequestration agents.more » « less
-
Fe3+-cross-linked chitosan exhibits the potential for selectively adsorbing arsenic (As) over competing species, such as phosphate, for water remediation. However, the effective binding mechanisms, bond nature, and controlling factor(s) of the selectivity are poorly understood. This study employs ab initio calculations to examine the competitive binding of As(V), P(V), and As(III) to neat chitosan and Fe3+-chitosan. Neat chitosan fails to selectively bind As oxyanions, as all three oxyanions bind similarly via weak hydrogen bonds with preferences of P(V) = As(V) > As(III). Conversely, Fe3+-chitosan selectively binds As(V) over As(III) and P(V) with binding energies of −1.9, −1, and −1.8 eV for As(V), As(III), and P(V), respectively. The preferences are due to varying Fe3+–oxyanion donor–acceptor characteristics, forming covalent bonds with distinct strengths (Fe–O bond ICOHP values: – 4.9 eV/bond for As(V), – 4.7 eV/bond for P(V), and −3.5 eV/bond for As(III)). Differences in pKa between As(V)/P(V) and As(III) preclude any preference for As(III) under typical environmental pH conditions. Furthermore, our calculations suggest that the binding selectivity of Fe3+-chitosan exhibits a pH dependence. These findings enhance our understanding of the Fe3+–oxyanion interaction crucial for preferential oxyanion binding using Fe3+-chitosan and provide a lens for further exploration into alternative transition-metal–chitosan combinations and coordination chemistries for applications in selective separations.more » « less
-
Summary Plant phenology, the timing of recurrent biological events, shows key and complex response to climate warming, with consequences for ecosystem functions and services. A key challenge for predicting plant phenology under future climates is to determine whether the phenological changes will persist with more intensive and long‐term warming.Here, we conducted a meta‐analysis of 103 experimental warming studies around the globe to investigate the responses of four phenophases – leaf‐out, first flowering, last flowering, and leaf coloring.We showed that warming advanced leaf‐out and flowering but delayed leaf coloring across herbaceous and woody plants. As the magnitude of warming increased, the response of most plant phenophases gradually leveled off for herbaceous plants, while phenology responded in proportion to warming in woody plants. We also found that the experimental effects of warming on plant phenology diminished over time across all phenophases. Specifically, the rate of changes in first flowering for herbaceous species, as well as leaf‐out and leaf coloring for woody species, decreased as the experimental duration extended.Together, these results suggest that the real‐world impact of global warming on plant phenology will diminish over time as temperatures continue to increase.more » « less
-
Promotion and tenure (P&T) remain the central tenets of academia. The criteria for P&T both create and reflect the mission of an institution. The discipline of biomedical engineering is built upon the invention and translation of tools to address unmet clinical needs. ‘Broadening the bar’ for P&T to include efforts in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-based transfer (I/E/T) will require establishing the criteria and communication of methodology for their evaluation. We surveyed the department chairs across the fields of biomedical and bioengineering to understand the state-of-the-art in incorporation, evaluation, and definition of I/E/T as applied to the P&T process. The survey results reflected a commitment to increasing and respecting I/E/T activities as part of the P&T criteria. This was balanced by an equally strong desire for improving the education and policy for evaluating I/E/T internally as well as externally. The potential for ‘broadening the bar’ for P&T to include I/E/T activities in biomedical engineering may serve as an example for other fields in engineering and applied sciences, and a template for potential inclusion of additional efforts such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the pillars of scholarship, education, and service.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

