In 2016 the Cates group published a study on radiocatalytic activity of bismust complex oxides, which have possible application to external beam radiation therapy (EBT) Therein, Bi₂WO₆ nanosheets were found to be most effective at producing radicals under X-ray irradiation due there small size and two dimensional form. Now, a group from Shandong University has improved upon the catalysts with a biocompatible coating and applied the nanosheets to mice tumors. The radiosensitization effect resulted in a two-fold enhancement in dose response. This concept could be used to reduce the radiation dose requirements for EBT, leading to safer therapy.

Led by Prof. Sudeep Popat, a team from Clemson has received a $750k grant from NASA to develop peroxide-producing microbial fuel cells for space life support systems application. Microbial fuel cells use a combination of microbial metabolism and electrochemical reactors to convert nutrients and energy stored in waste streams to useful chemical products. Herein, the feasibility of producing hydrogen peroxide from spacecraft blackwater containing human wastes will be investigated, followed by the application of peroxide to on-board water treatment and recycling. As part of this project, the Cates group will assess UV/H₂O₂ advanced oxidation using UV LEDs for disinfection and purification of greywater.

We are excited to announce we have been awarded a 3-year $500k grant from the US-EPA to advance photocatalytic treatment technology for removal of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from landfill leachate. PFAS compounds are applied to various consumer products to impart water and grease-repellent properties and as flame retardants. Following decomposition, the PFAS are released and are present in the extracted leachate. Since PFAS are not removed through typical wastewater treatment processes, on-site removal of PFAS prior to discharge to a municipal sewer may be needed. However, the high COD of leachate presents a significant barrier to processes targeting PFAS. The bismuth complex oxide photocatalysts developed by our group, together with the unique capabilities of the Purifics Photo-cat reactors, are a promising option to address this need. The BOHP/UV process will be optimized and tested using synthetic and real leachate test waters.

Gary Hunter has worked worked in the consulting industry for over 30 years, with extensive expertise in UV disinfection and advanced oxidation processes. He is currently a senior wastewater process engineer at Black and Veatch. Gary has joined Clemson’s environmental engineering program to a complete a PhD, and will research UVC LED disinfection reactor design in collaboration with Dr. Cates.

The Cates Lab has a received an internal grant from the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Science at Clemson to pursue our work on advancement of UVC devices for prevention of opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing. The grant will fund Hamed Torkzadeh’s work in biofilm inhibition by UVC using instruments at the Clemson Light Imagining Facility.

Dr. Cates contributed to a perspective on article titled “The technology horizon for photocatalytic water treatment: Sunrise or sunset?”, which was coauthored by numerous leading experts in physicochemical water treatment.

See the article here

See the article here

Nature Nanotechnology article

ES&T Letters article

The group welcomes Dr. Dawei Wang as a new postdoctoral research associate. Dr. Wang received his PhD from Hohai University and U. California Riverside in 2016, and recently completed a postdoc fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University. He will use his extensive experience in nanomaterial synthesis and environmental technology to pursue new directions in our focus on photocatalytic technologies for degradation of perfluoroalkyl water contaminants.