Professor focused on sustainable water treatment

Jordan is  one of the most water-stressed countries in  the world.
Jordan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world.

Vinka Oyanedel-Craver is an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Rhode Island. She has also published more than a dozen articles on the chemical and biological processes used for sustainable water and wastewater purification, as well as collaborated on several projects. Most recently, she is working with Jordanian researchers to improve desalination technology. She has been working on embedding silver nanoparticles into the membranes used in current systems. The nanoparticles will slow bacteria growth and reduce contamination, as well as maintenance because operations will no longer need to be shut down to clean the machines. The yearlong collaboration (which began in 2014) between several Jordanian and U.S. researchers is backed by a $314,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development and a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Oyanedel-Craver holds a Ph.D. from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela and a B.S. and an M.S. from the Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso.

PBN: Your focus is on developing sustainable treatment systems for water/wastewater or other pollutants. Why do you feel this is a pertinent topic of research?
OYANEDEL-CRAVER: Water is essential for us to live. We usually perceive water as a renewable resource but current technologies are not capable of returning water with the same quality as when we take it from the environment. Also, our under water maintenance infrastructure and changes in climate are challenges when trying to ensure a continuous supply of safe drinking water worldwide.

PBN: Could you tell me more about your current collaboration with Jordanian researchers to desalinate water?
OYANEDEL-CRAVER: Jordan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, with a water availability about four times below the water poverty line established by international guidelines. The need of water in Jordan is a driver to search for new alternatives for water sources and treatment. Traveling through Jordan and meeting researchers and students put a face on the water struggle. Before, I knew the statistics, but listening on how the lack of water affects the daily life of people was an eye-opening experience.
PBN: How would the desalination technology work?
OYANEDEL-CRAVER: I am participating in a research collaboration with the goal to improve membrane technologies. Membranes can remove contaminants through size; if contaminants are smaller than the little holes of the membrane, only clean water can pass through the membrane. Membrane technologies have been in operation since the [1970s] and prices have been going down, making them more and more accessible. However, one of the big problems with this technology is the possible growth of bacteria on the surface, which could clog the pores and even eat the membrane. •

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