Environmental Nanotechnology research group:
Membranes, particles, interfaces

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

 
Welcome

Our research focuses on membrane processes and colloidal and interfacial phenomena in environmental systems.
The following research themes and objectives define the scope of our current work:

Membrane processes
Improve fundamental understanding of physical and chemical processes governing transport of dissolved and colloidal species to and across membranes.

Multifunctional nanostructured membranes
Combine traditional membrane materials and preparation methods with novel nanomaterials and methods to develop membranes with additional functionalities.

Hybrid treatment systems
Identify and make use of synergies emerging from combining membranes with other unit processes, such as adsorption and oxidation.

Environmentally sustainable nanotechnology
Understand the relationship between physicochemical properties of synthetic nanomaterials and their transport and fate in natural and built environments.


Recent publications
  • Kim, J., W. Shan, S.H.R. Davies, M.J. Baumann, S.J. Masten, V.V. Tarabara. Interactions of aqueous NOM with nanoscale TiO2: Implications for ceramic membrane filtration-ozonation hybrid process. Environ. Sci. Technol. Accepted.
  • Wang, F., V. V. Tarabara. Permeability of fiber-filled porous media: Kozeny-Carman-Ethier modeling approach. Environ. Eng. Sci. 26, 6 (2008) 1149-1155
  • Tarabara, V. V. Multifunctional nanomaterial-enabled membranes for water treatment. In: Nanotechnology Applications: Solutions for Clean Water . Eds: M. Diallo, J. Duncan, N. Savage, R. Sustich, A. Street, 2008. 59-75
  • Wang, F., V. V. Tarabara. Pore blocking mechanisms during early stages of membrane fouling by colloids. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 328 (2008) 464-469
  • Taurozzi, J. S., Arul, H., Bosak, V. Z., Burban, A. F., Voice, T. C., Bruening, M. L., V. V. Tarabara. Effects of matrix porosity and silver incorporation route on the structure and function of polysulfone-silver nanocomposite ultrafiltration membranes. J. Membr. Sci. 325 (2008) 58-68
  • Kim, J., S.H.R. Davies, M.J. Baumann, V.V. Tarabara, S.J. Masten. Effect of ozone dosage and hydrodynamic conditions on the permeate flux in a hybrid ozonation-ceramic ultrafiltration system treating natural waters. J. Membr. Sci. 311 (2007) 165-172
  • Wang, F., V. V. Tarabara. Coupled effects of colloidal deposition and salt concentration polarization on reverse osmosis membrane performance. J. Membr. Sci. 293 (2007) 111–123
  • Dhawan, A., Taurozzi, J. S., Pandey, A. K., Shan, W., Miller, S. M., Hashsham, S. A., V. V. Tarabara. Stable colloidal dispersions of C60 fullerenes in water: Evidence for genotoxicity. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40, 23 (2006) 7394 - 7401