Michael Edgar
Graduate Research Assistant
Arizona State University
Michael Edgar is a graduate research assistant at Arizona State University. He has an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering. His work utilizes the combination of physical-chemical and biological systems for the treatment of nonpoint contaminant sources. His previous work focuses on the use of slag-driven mineral precipitation and microbial denitrification for the removal of nutrients from agricultural runoff and his current work is focused on long-term operation of ion exchange resins through bioregeneration and secondary ion exchange.
PRESENTATION TITLE
Removal of Natural Organic Matter by Ion Exchange: Comparing Regenerated and Non-Regenerated Columns
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water has adverse impacts on the water treatment process and is effectively removed by ion exchange (IEX). Some researchers have proposed the term biological ion exchange (BIEX) for the process of continuous DOM removal by ion exchange without the need for chemical regeneration that results in brine waste. This work examines long-term ion exchange operation with and without regeneration with detailed mass balances, organic and inorganic analyses, biofilm SEM imaging, and microbial community characterization that greatly enhances the understanding of continuous DOM removal during BIEX.