A remote, real-time sensor for groundwater remediation monitoring

Access to clean, reliable water supplies is critical to our quality of life and our economy, yet across the country over 100,000 hazardous waste sites are so heavily contaminated that the underlying groundwater doesnĺt meet drinking water standards. Recent advances in sensing and machine learning technologies are opening up the possibility for ôsmart sensorö approaches to automation and optimization of data col- lection and analysis. Such novel approaches, if commercialized and widely available, could provide in- valuable information in support of the DOE Office of Environmental Managementĺs mission to reduce the cost associated with treatment of hazardous waste sites. Building on demonstrated expertise with robust, field-deployable sensors, the goal of this proposal is to develop and demonstrate the technical feasibility of a customizable sensor that can reliably provide real-time, continuous, quantitative measurements of con- taminants related to tank waste remediation. In Phase I, technical feasibility was achieved by engineering new sensor strains sensitive to nickel and acetate that were integrated into an existing real-time sensor platform. The strains were used to collect hours of calibration data and to develop computational tools to correlate fluorescent signals with toxin lev- els. Phase II will involve a two year work plan that will add the capability to detect chromium and will result in a robust, field-deployable biosensor platform that can function in harsh outdoor environments and in complex water backgrounds. In addition, by performing field trials with partners in two different disci- plines, the work will demonstrate the value that the sensor can provide to a diverse range of applications including environmental remediation and water quality monitoring. Beyond addressing a need for improved data, the proposed sensor platform could have a broader so- cietal impact on the equitable availability of safe drinking water. Widespread efforts to address this water crisis will necessitate an investment in advanced sensing technologies. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to commercialize a robust sensor that not only meets the needs of the DOE Office of Environmental Manage- ment and the growing needs for technologies to ensure safe drinking water, but is also broadly marketable. An established partnership with researchers at PNNL, who work on projects related to the Hanford site, will help demonstrate the platformĺs ability to contribute meaningful data to their work remediating tank waste contaminants. In addition, a partnership with UCR will involve well monitoring in a low income area that is plagued by poor water quality. Through these two partnerships, the project will demonstrate the various benefits of this technology and poise the sensor for commercial success.