Biosensor for Arsenic Determination in Different Types of Waters

Biosensor for Arsenic Determination in Different Types of Waters

Sustainable, Safe, and Climate Smart Communities

Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER), Office of Research and Development

Cincinnati, OH

• National Science Foundation Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity (6 months maximum)
• Other Programs (contact research lead)

The project focuses on research on developing and testing prototypic sensors to determine arsenic and speciation in groundwater or drinking water. This technology will be deployed to characterize groundwater in superfund sites that have been polluted by arsenic. It will also be used to monitor water quality in community water system (CWS), especially in the area with underserved populations, such as Navajo people in the southwest.

The project supports the EPA’s CESER’s strategic goal of developing applied scientific and engineering solutions, technologies, and cutting-edge innovations to protect and remediate our air, land, and water resources, and critical infrastructure challenged by systemic and acute environmental contamination.

Goal:  The fellow will learn to develop a field deployable sensor and/or analysis to determine total arsenic and its speciation in groundwater or drinking water.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the principle for sensor development, analytical method development, characterization, and pilot test.
• Conduct experiments, analyze data, and write peer-reviewed journal articles.
• learn the use and operation of different analytical instruments and methodologies (enzyme kinetics, LC-MS analysis)

Preferred Skills:

• Lab research experience in biochemistry, analytical equipment, and quantitative analysis.
• Ability to work both as a part of a team and independently.
• Good verbal and writing skills, record keeping and reporting habit.

Qualifications:  Graduate student or Ph.D. in one of the relevant fields (Environmental Chemistry, Analytical chemistry, Environmental Engineering, biochemistry).

Tao Li (li.tao@epa.gov)