Thursday, July 13, 2023

Alien invasion: Study reveals alarming economic costs of biological invasions to the European Union

Massive costs estimated to soar to more than €142.73 billion (US $150 billion) by 2040 in the absence of effective management


Peer-Reviewed Publication

MCGILL UNIVERSITY



Biological invasions are a major threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being, resulting in ecosystem degradation and causing economic costs in the multi-trillions of euros globally. A study led by McGill University sheds light on the stark economic cost resulting from biological invasions in the European Union (EU).

The European Union continues to be exposed to thousands of invasive alien species — harmful species introduced by humans from outside of their natural habitat. The EU is particularly vulnerable because the region’s volume of economic activity via trade and the transportation of goods increases the risks of biological invasions, according to the study published in Environmental Sciences Europe.

Most invasive alien species are not adequately assessed for their actual and potential economic impacts therefore most cost estimates are grossly underestimated, say the researchers. To fill this gap, the team quantified the economic costs of biological invasions to the European Union, while estimating future invasion costs using predictive models.

Costs potentially 501% higher than previously recorded

Their findings are alarming — of the approximately 13,000 invasive alien species known to have established populations in the European Union, only 259 (around 1%) have reported costs, showing substantial knowledge gaps in cost assessments regionally. The researchers’ models projected unreported costs to be potentially 501% higher than currently recorded, reaching a staggering €26.64 billion (US$28.0 billion) in the European Union, led by countries such as Lithuania, Malta, and Czech Republic.

The study's projections for future estimates revealed a substantial increase in costs, with estimates soaring to more than €142.73 billion (US$150 billion) by 2040 in the absence of effective management.

“Our study reveals a shocking underestimation of the economic costs of biological invasions in the European Union. These costs are not only a huge burden for the European Union’s economy, but also jeopardise the ecological balance and well-being of societies,” says lead author Morgane Henry, a PhD student under the supervision of McGill University Professor Brian Leung.

“It is imperative that we take immediate action to enhance cost reporting, identify the most concerning economic impacts, and work together on a global scale to address the threat posed by invasive alien species,” she adds.

The researchers warn that policymakers, scientists, and stakeholders should take heed of the implications of the study and collaborate to protect ecosystems, safeguard biodiversity, and ensure the well-being of communities. Otherwise, biological invasions will create an insurmountable financial burden unless the EU and its governments take swift action to address the devastating ecological impact that’s happening.

“The costs are potentially huge, but in most cases we just don’t know. Notably, our fivefold increase in cost estimates included only 1% of species with existing data, by extrapolating to other countries where they are known to have invaded, but where costs have not been estimated yet. We don’t know about the other 99% of the species”, says Professor Brian Leung of McGill University’s Department of Biology.

About the study

Unveiling the hidden economic toll of biological invasions in the European Union” by Morgane Henry et al. was published in Environmental Sciences Europe.

Under representation of women in policing: Study reveals persistent barriers and gender differences in career advancement


New study finds 'Macho culture' of police encourages hostile behaviors and a 'child tax' affecting women's progression


Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH




A new study published this week examines the under-representation of women in policing. It reveals that cultural and structural barriers persist and are impacting female career advancement when compared to that of male colleagues.  

The research, carried out by the University of Portsmouth as part of Dr Jackie Alexander’s doctoral research, is based on unique survey and interview data with female and male senior police leaders in England and Wales. It highlights the challenges faced by women en route to a senior rank and the impact of gender differences on policing careers. 

Despite increasing proportions of senior women in policing in the UK, the study shows that female officers still encounter obstacles in achieving career success compared to their male counterparts. 

Key findings of the study include: 

1. Fitting in: The study highlights the importance of social identity and acceptance within the organisational culture of the police service. It found that early experiences, including the need to ‘fit in’ and prove oneself, particularly in probationary years, contribute to a macho culture where physical fortitude and conformity to traditional norms are valued. The study also revealed that making tea and participating in a drinking culture contributed to being ‘accepted’, with women potentially facing a longer period of initiation before being fully accepted.

2. Hostile behaviours: The persistence of negative cultural elements and challenges within the policing environment, impacting the delivery of reforms and the ability of senior leaders to lead differently. Instances of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and hostile behaviours were frequently cited by women officers, highlighting the need for continued efforts to address these issues. Bullying and harassment were found to undermine both men and women in senior ranks, with some individuals expressing regret for engaging in a culture that perpetuated such behaviours.

3. Time served culture: The study highlights the importance of speed of progression through the early ranks and the need to address gender differences in applying for promotions. Additionally, the research reveals the prevalence of long working hours among senior officers, with concerns raised about the negative impact on health and family life.

4. Impact of family and childcare: Balancing personal responsibilities, particularly childcare roles, remains a major barrier for women’s career advancement in policing. The study highlights that women may face a ‘child-tax’ as they navigate work-life balance, as their access to senior rank is dependent on engaging in traditional behaviours and long hours culture. 

Lead author of the report, Dr Jackie Alexander says: “Our research emphasises the persisting barriers that hinder the advancement of women in policing. By understanding the challenges women face, we can develop interventions and policies that promote gender equality and enable women to thrive in the police force.

Professor Sarah Charman from the University of Portsmouth adds: “Systemic change is needed to address the gender disparities and create an inclusive environment in UK policing.”

The study makes a number of recommendations:

  • That the under-representation of women in the rank of sergeant is addressed, and all women constables qualified for promotion to sergeant are provided with support in applying for promotion.
  • That all forces monitor temporary promotions by gender, and ensure that evidence of gender bias in their processes is addressed.
  • That Home Office data returns include force data by gender regarding officer applications, promotion and temporary promotions, so that national comparisons can be made, and good practice identified and shared.
  • All promotion boards should be centralised or overseen independently, e.g., by the College of Policing, to ensure that gender bias is removed.
  • The Home Office workforce reports separate out the three most senior ranks, ACC, DCC and chief constable, rather than pooling them together as ‘chief officers’.
  • That working hours and on-call requirements of senior officers are subject to review, and steps taken to ensure that forces are resourcing senior leadership posts adequately, with limitations on the hours that senior officers work.

 

Successful cooperation depends on good mindreading abilities - study


Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM




A person’s ‘mindreading ability’ can predict how well they are able to cooperate, even with people they have never met before.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham found that people with strong mind reading abilities – the ability to understand and take the perspective of another person’s feelings and intentions– are more successful in cooperating to complete tasks than people with weaker mind reading abilities. 

These qualities, also called ‘theory of mind’, are not necessarily related to intelligence and could be improved through training programmes to foster improved cooperation, for example in the workplace or in schools and colleges.

Lead researcher Roksana Markiewicz explained: “As a psychology researcher, I often get asked if I can read minds and while this is often said to me as a joke, humans do have mindreading abilities. Our study shows that these qualities are clearly important in activities that require cooperation.”

In the study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: LMC, the team measured theory of mind in over 400 participants. Participants were then sorted into pairs and joined a researcher on a zoom call where they played a series of communication games. Each player had a set of visual clues on their screen, which could not be viewed by their partner. They had to communicate about the different sets of clues and use them together to solve a puzzle.

Players who had high theory of mind (ToM) abilities and who were matched with people who had similarly high ToM scores cooperated more effectively than players matched with low ToM abilities. The researchers suggest that this is because of a heightened ability to align in the same mental space and to recover rapidly when misalignment occurs.

Similarly, the researchers found that failures in cooperation were more common among participants with low ToM abilities. They suggest this is because these participants found it harder to find ways to align their thinking, leading to more frequent mistakes, and poorer recovery from mistakes.

“We show for the first time that cooperation is not all about you,” says Roksana. “Even if you have excellent mindreading abilities yourself, it will still be advantageous to cooperate with someone with similar abilities, so choose your cooperation partner wisely!”

 

First nanoscale direct observation of how glass transforms into liquid at increasing temperature


The research is of great importance to improve techniques for cryopreservation of living tissues, drug production and the manufacture of new materials


Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA




Researchers from the UAB and the ICN2 have developed a methodology that makes it possible for the first time to observe under the microscope, in real time, what happens when glass is heated and changes to a supercooled liquid phase, known as the "glass transition". The research, published in Nature Physics, is of great importance for the cryopreservation of proteins, cells and living tissues, for the manufacture of drugs and electronic devices, and for tissue engineering, where this glass-to-liquid transition plays a key role.
Glass is a solid material with such a disordered structure that it could be considered a liquid of extraordinarily high viscosity. It is found in transparent and stained glass windows, in television screens and mobile devices, in fibre optics, in industrial plastic materials, and also in the state of proteins, cellular structures and living tissues when frozen for cryopreservation.
Despite being so common, it is very difficult to develop theories and models that can explain their behaviour in detail. The mechanisms by which a liquid cools and transforms into a glass, and conversely, how a glass transforms into a liquid when heated, something known as "glass transition", are still not fully understood. Physicists are still not sure whether this is a phase transition and glass can be considered as a thermodynamic state distinct from the liquid and solid states; or whether glass is simply a supercooled liquid - cooled below freezing temperature but retaining liquid properties - whose atoms or molecules have very little mobility. One of the major difficulties in understanding this process lies in the challenges of visualising it through the microscope with sufficient resolution, as the structures of the supercooled liquid and glass are virtually indistinguishable.
A team led by researchers from the Department of Physics of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), with the involvement of the UPC and the IMB-CNM-CSIC, has presented a new methodology that makes it possible to observe directly under the microscope what happens in a glass when it is heated above the glass transition temperature, known as the "relaxation" process that transforms it into a liquid. Researchers worked with ultra-stable organic glass, which is prepared via thermal evaporation. They are denser and exhibit higher kinetic and thermodynamic stability than conventional glass obtained directly from liquids. Unlike conventional glass which, as seen so far, transforms to the liquid state globally, without clear distinctions between different regions of the material, this ultra-stable glass transitions to a supercooled liquid state in a similar way as crystalline solids do when they transition to the liquid state, with the formation of liquid-phase areas that grow progressively larger. This is a process that was already described indirectly by nanocalorimetry measurements and was observed only in computational models. "Previously it had already been inferred from these models that the liquid-phase areas that are produced have an extraordinary separation between them when it comes to ultra-stable glass, but this had never been observed directly," says Cristian Rodriguez Tinoco, researcher at the UAB and ICN2.
The new method developed to observe this transition consists of sandwiching the ultra-stable glass between two layers of glass with a higher transition temperature. When the ultrastable glass layer is heated above its transition temperature, the instabilities that occur on the surface are transferred to the outer layers of the sandwich and can be observed directly with an atomic force microscope. "These are very small movements and compressions, of the order of a few nanometres when the transformation begins, but large enough to be measured precisely with a microscope of this type, which monitors in situ the surface deformations that appear above the transition temperature," explains PhD student Marta Ruiz Ruiz.
The work allows the devitrification of the glass to be followed in real time. It allows quantifying the dynamics of the relaxation process in ultra-stable crystals towards a supercooled liquid by directly measuring the distances between the liquid domains that appear, while observing the deformation of the surface and its evolution over time. In this way, it was possible to confirm how these distances between liquid areas are extraordinarily large in this type of glass, and the correlation of these distances with the time scales of the material, as predicted by computational models. "The microscopic description we have achieved has made possible for the first time a direct comparison between computational models and physical reality. We believe that this technique will also be very useful in exploring the glass transition on smaller time and space scales, which will allow a better understanding of the transition in less stable glass produced from cooled liquids," concludes Javier Rodríguez Viejo, researcher at the UAB and ICN2.
The work, published today in Nature Physics, was led by professors Javier Rodríguez Viejo and Cristian Rodríguez Tinoco, researchers from the Thermal Properties of Nanoscale Materials group (GTNaM) of the Department of Physics at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), located on the UAB campus, with the involvement of researchers Marta Ruiz Ruiz (first author of the article), Ana Vila Costa and Marta González Silveira also from the UAB and ICN2; as well as ICN2 researchers Tapas Bar and Jordi Fraxedas; Jose Antonio Plaza, researcher at the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM- CSIC), at the UAB campus; and Jorge Alcalá from the ETSEIB of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC).

 

Youth of color turn to TikTok for diet, fitness information


A new study found that social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Instagram, are ideal digital spaces to educate and guide US youth of color on healthy weight management and ultimately reduce racial inequities in obesity.


Peer-Reviewed Publication

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, July 13, 2023                         

Youth of Color Turn to TikTok for Diet, Fitness Information

A new study found that social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Instagram, are ideal spaces to educate and guide US youth of color on healthy weight management and ultimately reduce racial inequities in obesity.

Nearly 1 in 4 adolescents in the United States experienced obesity from 2017 to 2020, and youths of color experienced disproportionately higher obesity rates, at approximately 26 percent of Hispanic youth and 25 percent of Black youths ages 12-19 years, compared to 17 percent of White youth.

As nearly all teens use some form of social media, a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher has found that social media platforms are ideal digital spaces to engage adolescents of color on healthy eating and physical activity.

Published in the journal JMIR Pediatrics & Parenting, the study found that youth prefer to consult TikTok more than any other social media platform for information on healthy weight management.

There is limited research on social media-based weight management or obesity interventions for youth, and the study is the first to examine social media use and content preferences for weight management support among adolescents of color. Despite current concerns that social media use is contributing to worsening youth mental health, the new study reveals that these digital platforms can still be valuable spaces to promote health, especially with strategies that are informed by youth perspectives and preferences.

“These findings highlight that it is critical for future interventions to be culturally tailored and consider the unique needs and experiences of adolescents of color,” says study lead and corresponding author Dr. Monica Wang, associate professor of community health sciences at BUSPH and chair of the Narrative Office at Boston University Center for Antiracist Research.

For the study, Dr. Wang and colleagues utilized survey and focus group data on weight management behaviors, beliefs, and social media preferences among high school students ages 14-18 years in California and Massachusetts.

Youth most frequently used TikTok, followed by Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. More than 80 percent of youth spent at least some time on TikTok, and 71 percent on Instagram.

TikTok was youths’ favorite social media platform for learning new information about healthy weight management, but they enjoyed both TikTok and Instagram to communicate with others about diet and fitness. They prioritize information on physical and mental health, prefer receiving it from health professionals and peers, and need to be able to relate to the content.

The study notes that youth are aware of rampant misinformation on social media and, overall, they do still utilize websites more often than social media platforms to verify information.

The majority of participants said they began using TikTok to combat isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they enjoy the platform for its tailored content and versatility with making or watching videos, and multiple ways to engage with other users. On Instagram, they enjoy being able to share visual content and connect easily with influencers, celebrities, and other people both inside and outside of their networks.

These platforms provide several opportunities for “responsible and responsive” social media interventions, Dr. Wang says. Strategies for these interventions include:

  • Creating social media platforms or campaigns that feature culturally diverse content to help adolescents of color feel represented and understood
  • Establishing online peer support networks with a trained moderator to provide a supportive, inclusive space for adolescents of color
  • Offering virtual coaching and counseling, which can reduce barriers to health resources and provide individualized support with goal-setting and behavior change strategies
  • Collaborating with positive role models who have established expertise in nutrition, fitness, and health who can help inspire and motivate adolescents of color
  • Addressing mental health and promoting body positivity, which are important aspects of interventions to cultivate healthy weight management behaviors among adolescents.

“Ongoing evaluation and input from adolescents need to be part of the process to refine and improve the efficacy of social media interventions in promoting healthy behaviors among this population,” says Dr. Wang.

**

About Boston University School of Public Health

Founded in 1976, Boston University School of Public Health is one of the top ten ranked schools of public health in the world. It offers master's- and doctoral-level education in public health. The faculty in six departments conduct policy-changing public health research around the world, with the mission of improving the health of populations—especially the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable—locally and globally.

Marine monitor helps identify missing information on human activities in marine protected areas


Vessel activity monitored by M2 radar system at highly urban and remote MPAs


Peer-Reviewed Publication

MAR COMMUNICATIONS

M2 Radar System on Turneffe Atoll, Belize 

IMAGE: M2 RADAR SYSTEM ON TURNEFFE ATOLL, BELIZE view more 

CREDIT: WILLIAM MCKAY, GLOBAL CONSERVATION




A new study using Marine Monitor—ProtectedSeas’ shore-based vessel monitoring system—highlights the need for systems that can track boater activity in small, coastal marine protected areas (MPAs) that are not visible in traditional vessel tracking systems to help ensure marine protection rules are followed. 

The findings, recently published in Remote Sensing, used the Marine Monitor (M2) autonomous data collection tool to continuously monitor vessel activity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at a highly urban MPA near San Diego, California and a more remote MPA at Turneffe Atoll, Belize, 50 kilometers offshore of Belize City.

The M2 systems used marine radar to record the movement of boats on the water. By comparing this information with data provided by the shore-based vessel tracking system known as Automatic Identification System (AIS), researchers found that 13 times more (93 percent) of boater activity was captured solely by radar at the MPA in California, and 44 times more (98 percent) of activity at the MPA in Belize.

"It was striking to see how much activity the radar system identified that was unknown when AIS was used alone," said ProtectedSeas researcher Samantha Cope, the lead author of the study. "There would only be limited data on human activities, and ultimately most of the human impact on these sensitive marine areas could be obscured if researchers only utilized traditional systems."

Monitoring human activity can help managers evaluate both the ecological and community benefits of the MPA, detect patterns in boat activity and other human uses, and ensure MPA regulations are followed. 

The researchers also found that boats identified by radar did not behave in similar ways to boats that shared their location via AIS.

"The areas where boaters were most active, according to AIS, were not in the MPA," said study co-author Lisa Gilfillan, Ocean Conservation Manager at WILDCOAST, a site partner with M2 in California. "The M2 radar system helps us identify activities that we're interested in inside the MPA boundaries." Study results showed that boater activity detected by radar was concentrated in the center of the South La Jolla State Marine Reserve and at the southern boundary line. Activity detected by AIS was concentrated farther south.  

A 2022 study by the M2 team published in PLOS ONE found that boaters often cluster along the edges of MPAs off the coast of California. These findings suggest that fishers are aware of the MPA boundaries and cluster just outside them to potentially benefit from better fishing opportunities by "fishing the line.” In that study, only 10 percent of boating movement was potentially illegal fishing.  

The M2 system in Belize monitors an area that is much more remote but also popular for tourism. "The M2 radar assists our Conservation Officers in monitoring vessel activity in the southern region of the Turneffe Atoll, specifically within the Caye Bokel Conservation Zone and Spawning Aggregate Site," said Andres Aldana, study co-author and site partner with Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association. "With the ability to visually see vessels via the camera and vessel location through the M2 Local Viewer, our team can effectively strategize and deploy a patrol based on this information."

The study was published as part of a Special Issue, "Remote Sensing for Maritime Monitoring and Vessel Identification", intended to showcase different approaches for monitoring marine areas.

"We specifically designed M2 to give MPA managers a useful and affordable tool for monitoring important marine places," said M2 Product Manager and study co-author Brendan Tougher. "AIS and new technologies, like satellite-based systems, just don't tell the whole story."

 

NASA finds June 2023 hottest on record


Reports and Proceedings

NASA/GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

 NEWS RELEASE 

NASA Finds June 2023 Hottest on Record 

IMAGE: THIS MAP SHOWS GLOBAL TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES FOR JUNE 2023 ACCORDING TO THE GISTEMP ANALYSIS BY SCIENTISTS AT NASA’S GODDARD INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES. TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES REFLECT HOW JUNE 2023 COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE JUNE TEMPERATURE FROM 1951-1980. view more 

CREDIT: CREDITS: NASA’S GODDARD INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES




June 2023 was the hottest June on record according to NASA’s global temperature analysis.

GISTEMP, NASA’s global temperature analysis, is drawn from data collected by weather stations and Antarctic research stations, as well as instruments mounted on ships and ocean buoys. NASA scientists at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York analyze these measurements to account for uncertainties in the data and to maintain consistent methods for calculating global average surface temperature differences for every year. These ground-based measurements of surface temperature are consistent with satellite data collected since 2002 by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder on NASA's Aqua satellite and with other estimates. NASA uses the period from 1951-1980 as a baseline to understand how global temperatures change over time.

Independent analyses by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information likewise found June 2023 to be the warmest June in their records.

Penn State researchers receive $1M NSF award to develop hemp-based supply chain


Funding is aimed at the development of a sustainable supply chain of industrial hemp to meet increasing global demand for renewable plant-based and recyclable products


Grant and Award Announcement

PENN STATE




MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Penn State is part of a project that recently received a $1 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines Development Award. The award will fund the development of the Pennsylvania Industrial Hemp Engine (PAIHE), which will support the manufacture and deployment of bio-based products for application in green building construction, packaging, fabrics, renewable energy and land remediation.

Launched by NSF’s new Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, the Engines Development Award aims to help partners create economic, societal and technological opportunities for their regions. PAIHE is one of 44 projects funded nationally in this inaugural round of awards.

“The launch of the Pennsylvania Industrial Hemp Engine reflects Penn State’s commitment to groundbreaking research and to fostering economic development that enriches and empowers our commonwealth, both of which are at the core of our mission as a 21st-century land-grant university,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “This is an effort undertaken in partnership with business, agriculture, government and fellow institutions of higher education — demonstrating the transformative power of public-private partnership and collaboration across industries and disciplines. I am grateful for the support of the National Science Foundation, and for the many partners who are helping make this important work possible.”

Penn State is partnering with Vytal Plant Science Research (VPSR), a nonprofit biotechnology corporation based in Hazleton, Pennsylvania; Emory University; Wharton School of Business; Ben Franklin Technology Partners; the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; and several farms and private industries throughout the state to launch PAIHE.  

“We are excited at Penn State Harrisburg to be able to leverage our long-term investment in plant genetics and biofuels research, development of public-private partnerships, and increased collaborations across Penn State to engage in this transdisciplinary research in response to NSF’s Engines program,” said Vahid Motevalli, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs at Penn State Harrisburg.

Sairam V. Rudrabhatla, professor of biology in Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Science, Engineering and Technology, will serve as institutional principal investigator on the project. Ali Memari, the Bernard and Henrietta Hankin chair in Residential Building Construction and director of the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center at Penn State, is co-principal investigator. Catherine Rios, associate professor of communications and humanities in Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Humanities, serves in a leadership role on the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility committee of the project.

The project’s goals include developing a sustainable supply chain of industrial hemp to meet global demand for renewable hemp-based recyclable products; recommending use-inspired research, market and supply chain development strategies; identifying funding incentives to develop key infrastructure, education programs, product innovation, and manufacturing; and reducing greenhouse gases through the use of carbon capture strategies, said Rudrabhatla.

“From farming and agricultural technologies, research and manufacturing, innovation leadership and workforce development, community development and policy advocacy, and a fully integrated mission of diversity and inclusion, the engine will connect established and emerging regional stakeholders to address today’s challenges and build opportunities for a new generation of hemp agriculture and hemp innovation in Pennsylvania,” Rudrabhatla said.

Visit the project website for more information.


 

Multimillion dollar consortium to address southwest water concerns

As traditional sources of water run low, concern around Arizona's water supply is growing. A team of researchers from three universities is working to address the problem by advancing water reuse techniques.

Grant and Award Announcement

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Andrea Achilli 

IMAGE: ANDREA ACHILLI IS A PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR ON A PROJECT THAT AIMS TO IMPROVE WATER SECURITY AND WATER REUSE METHODS IN THE ARID SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. view more 

CREDIT: JULIUS SCHLOSBURG FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

The Colorado River, which provides drinking water to tens of millions of people and irrigation water to more than 5 million acres of farmland, has dropped by one-third in recent years. Arizona recently limited housing construction in the Phoenix area based on projections that groundwater will be unable to meet growing demand.

The University of Arizona has received $4 million for phase one of a project to improve water security and water reuse methods in the arid southwestern United States. Phase two will be awarded an additional $3 million in funding, with the possibility of another $3 million for phase three. Together with the University of Southern California and the University of Nevada, which each received grants of the same size, the university is launching the Consortium for Potable Water Reuse. The funding agency is the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.

"We are the leading schools that do research on water reuse in the Southwest, which is where alternative water sources and potable use is needed," said grant principal investigator Andrea Achilli, a UArizona associate professor of chemical and environmental engineering and researcher at the university's Water and Energy Sustainable Technology, or WEST, Center. "What we want to do is to allow for self-sufficiency and resiliency in the Southwest."

The consortium will bring together experts in diverse fields to advance water treatment technologies, make water reuse systems more efficient and drive sustainable practices. The UArizona team, which includes researchers in chemical and environmental engineering, systems and industrial engineeringenvironmental science, and microbiology, will focus on using automation and decentralization to improve potable water reuse deployment and adoption.

"The University of Arizona's water programs are consistently ranked among the top in the world thanks to the incredible faculty and staff we have working in this vital area," said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. "Their expertise will be key in ensuring potable water for Southwest communities as we face water usage cuts and historic drought. I am proud of our resourceful and forward-thinking faculty members in engineering and the WEST Center for building an interdisciplinary team to do this important work." 

The Power of Decentralization

Achilli believes decentralized water treatment systems, which manage water at the neighborhood level – or, in densely populated areas, even the building level – are key to better enabling water reuse. Some cities and large companies, such as Intel, are already experimenting with this. Achilli draws a comparison to the growing popularity of home solar panels.

"Water is messy, but I think the way we are going to deal with water is the same way we are starting to deal with other major systems, like the electric grid," he said. "If we really want to enable water reuse, we need to transform the systems from centralized – like we've been doing for the past 100 years –  into decentralized, autonomous systems."

Avoiding moving water back and forth between a neighborhood and a treatment plant saves energy, time and money. It also allows people to be more familiar with their water sources; for example, residential systems will only have residential pollutants, Achilli said.

"With this, we have a better idea of the contaminants coming into our systems and can tailor our treatment systems to efficiently remove them," said project co-principal investigator Kerri Hickenbottom, a UArizona assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering. "Because we know the quality and quantity of our water resources, we will have more security and resiliency in our treatment systems. It's going to help us be in a position where we're not panicking about finding our next source of water."

The Role of Automation

In order for water treatment to be managed at the neighborhood level, Achilli said, it needs to be simple yet sophisticated. Right now, it's not. In fact, Achilli said, much of the software used in water management systems is outdated – and essentially none of it operates autonomously.

High-end systems, like the one used by Achilli and his team at the WEST Center, require a team of experts with a unique set of skills in experiments, programming, coding and analyzing systems.

Someday, autonomized decentralization could allow for in-house water reuse systems in individual houses or apartments. Achilli compares the idea of these in-house systems to washing machines, which anyone can easily operate at home without specialized skills.

"Nobody is an expert in washing machine technologies," he said. "We just use it, right? That's the level where we need to get to in order to really have decentralized systems."

Waste Streams and Workforce

When water is treated for potable reuse, some of it isn't recovered. Contaminated water goes into an advanced water treatment system that provides several barriers to contaminant rejection. Out the other side comes a stream of high quality potable water – about 80% of the original amount, at best – and a stream of concentrated wastewater. Current methods for managing waste streams, including evaporation ponds, brine concentrators or crystallizers, can be costly, time consuming and geographically limited.

Hickenbottom is focused on improved methods for waste stream management, including investigating the possibility of water circularity, which could reuse all elements of water and eliminate waste. Ideally, it would mean producing just one stream of highly treated water and a solid form of waste. The team is also examining ways to recover valuable resources from waste streams, such as minerals that can be used in products like fertilizers or semiconductors.

As they build a new vision for how to manage water in Arizona, the team members also want to develop the next generation of the workforce. This means educating researchers, such as doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, who will develop new technologies. In collaboration with Jeff Prevatt, deputy director of the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department, they also plan to train water sector employees to analyze data sets and work with advanced sensors, automation and controls.

"It's contributing to the Arizona economy, but we're also pushing the envelope nationally and saying, 'This is what a resilient community would look like with respect to water,'" Hickenbottom said.