REDUCTION OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION BY MEMBRANE STRIPPING OOF WATERBORNE RADON GAS

RADON-222 IN INDOOR AIR HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PERVASIVE POLLUTANT AND A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH THREAT. ARETE TECHNOLOGIES PROPOSES TO INVESTIGATE A MEMBRANE-BASED SYSTEMFOR MITIGATING THE INDOOR AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM TO WHICH WATERBORNE RADON GAS CAN CONTRIBUTE. THE SYSTEM, WHICH OPERATES AT WATER SUPPLY PRESSURE, AVOIDS THE PROBLEMS OF RADIOACTIVITY BUILDUP AND SPENT CARBON DISPOSAL ASSOCIATED WITH GAC ADSORPTION, AND IT IS SIMPLER, QUIETER, AND MUCH SMALLER THAN DIFFUSED BUBBLE AERATION. IN ADDITION TO THESEPERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES, MEMBRANE STRIPPING PROMISES TO BE VERY COST COMPETITIVE IF NOT SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EXPENSIVE THAN CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES. IN PHASE I, THE INVESTIGATORS WILL SCREEN AND EVALUATE CANDIDATE HOLLOW-FIBER MEMBRANES; ASSEMBLE TEST MODULES; ANDDESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND OPERATE A LABORATORY-SCALE RADON REMOVAL SYSTEM ON BOTH CLEAN RN-CONTAINING WATER AND RN-LADEN GROUNDWATER CONTAINING HIGH LEVELS OF IRON AND SEDIMENT. WITH THE AID OF PHASE I DATA, THEY WILL REFINE THEIR MEMBRANE, MODULE, AND SYSTEM DESIGNS AND BE IN A POSITION TO EVALUATE THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF THE APPROACH.