Resources Institute Program News
About WRRC
Programs
Research
Publications
Conferences
FAQs
links
Contact WRRC

Check this page for announcements of WRIP proposal solicitations or grant awards

FY 2010 Request for Proposals

Deadline: November 25, 2009

The Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center (MA WRRC) invites research proposals for the U.S. Geological Survey's Water Resources Annual Institute Program for Fiscal Year 2010. Eligible projects include seed projects to develop new and innovative research; research projects that respond to water resources research needs of state or regional importance; and information transfer activities for water resources protection. One project of up to $30,000 per year will be funded in FY 2010. Graduate students are also encouraged to apply for research awards of $5,000 to begin, expand, or extend research projects. Faculty and student awards are subject to the federal 2:1 matching requirement. The anticipated start date for funded projects is April 1, 2010.

Application deadline is November 25, 2009 If you plan to submit a proposal, a courtesy message to WRRC would be appreciated so we can line up reviewers (please indicate the general topic of your proposal).

For information on proposal requirements, research priorities, funding eligibility and requirements, and the proposal review, selection, and award process, please refer to the complete Application announcement and guidelines (PDF)

Proposal Budget Example (MS Excel): this spreadsheet gives a budget form with embedded formulas, including  the waived overhead used as match.

Final MA WRRC awards are contingent upon Congressional approval of FY 2010 funding for the national water institute program.

 

FY 2009 Grant Awards

The Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center is pleased to announce its Fiscal Year 2009 Proposal awards:

FY 2008 Grant Awards

The Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center is pleased to announce its Fiscal Year 2008 Proposal awards:

FY 2007 Grant Awards

Three research projects were selected for WRIP funding:

FY 2006 Grant Awards
Three research projects were selected for WRIP funding:

Back to top

FY 2005 Grant Awards
Three research projects were selected for WRIP funding:

Back to top

 

Assesing the Transport and Fate of Effluent Organic Nittrogen in the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound Using Mass-Mapping Proteomics Technology
Dr. Chul Park, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Our recent research, partially funded by the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center (MAWRRC), has revealed that final effluents from wastewater treatment plants contain numerous proteins, of both sewage and treatment process origins, and they can be analyzed by proteomics technology. Using zymogramic electrophoresis, we have also observed that treated effluents contain active proteolytic enzymes that can hydrolyze other proteinaceous compounds. These are important findings in gaining better insight of the ecological impact of sewage works effluents because proteins are the most common and abundant class of organic nitrogen that can potentially lead to eutrophication in receiving waters, especially in N-limited water environments. In addition, the release of various effluent enzymes can enhance degradation of aquatic organic matter and, therefore, modulate nutrient cycling in receiving waters. The questions that need to be answered are: “What are the actual fate and roles of effluent-proteins in the receiving water ecosystem?” and “How can these be determined?” Success in our prior research has led us to develop a new research hypothesis that proteomics technology can be used for in situ monitoring of effluent proteins in receiving waters. In this research plan, we propose to conduct mass-mapping proteomics to characterize effluent proteins from the major effluent dischargers to the Connecticut (CT) River and to assess their transport and bioavailability in the CT River and Long Island Sound. Mass-mapping proteomics is a protocol that generates a mass map of peptides (smaller fraction of proteins) with their fragmentation features. As a consequence, generated spectral libraries (i.e., mass map of effluent proteins) will permit tracking of the effluent proteins through the identification of specific peptides in these receiving water samples, thus enabling us to monitor the fate and transport of effluent proteins.

Characterization of Flow and Water Quality of Stormwater Runoff from a Green Roof
Suzanne Lepage, Dr. Paul Mathisen, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The Clean Water Act Stormwater Phase I & Phase II rules have heightened the awareness and sense of urgency in communities that need to mitigate the negative impacts associated with stormwater runoff. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for site design and stormwater control are typically encouraged for use in meeting regulatory requirements, and green roofs are increasingly being used in urban areas. The ability of green roofs to reduce the total and peak volumes of stormwater runoff has been fairly well documented, but there is limited, and sometimes conflicting, data regarding the ability for green roofs to improve water quality.

The objective of this project is to use a monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of a green roof in a new residence hall at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts. Efforts are currently underway to monitor the rate and quantity of stormwater runoff retained on the green roof in comparison with the non-green portion of the roof, while simultaneously recording precipitation data. The proposed research will additionally assess water quality parameters (including, pH, temperature, and nutrients) in an effort to expand our knowledge of the effectiveness of green roofs in improving stormwater quality. Of particular interest is the potential for the vegetation on green roofs to improve the quality of rainfall through plant uptake of nitrogen, especially in light of Eastern Massachusetts air quality nonattainment status, in large part due to emissions of volatile nitrogen oxides (NOx). It is anticipated that the results of this monitoring effort, combined with previous research results from literature, will supplement the information available to communities in the Commonwealth regarding the effectiveness of green roofs for use as a Low-Impact Development BMP for stormwater management.

Bacterial Toxicity of Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Adhesion
Wei Jiang, Dr. Baoshan Xing, Dept. of Plant, Soil, Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Massachusetts houses a great number of companies and manufacturers, universities and institutes using and working in nanotechnology. Oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are a large group of nanomaterials widely applied in insulators, catalyzers, paints, cosmetic products, textiles and semiconductors. NPs will be eventually introduced into the aquatic environments because of their widespread production and application. However, there is still lack of information on the NPs toxicity to the aquatic organisms and their influence on water quality. Therefore the overall goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the toxicity of oxide NPs to the common bacteria species in the aquatic system and their adhesion at the bacteria-water interface. Specifically, we will 1) evaluate the bacterial toxicity of nano-, bulk-particles and their released metal ions, 2) determine the relationship of bacterial toxicity with the NPs adhesion on bacteria surface, and 3) probe into the bacterial surface bond formation and structural change/damage by NPs using various techniques. This research is closely related to the priority areas of Occurrence, fate, and transport of pollutant, and Ecological impacts as outlined in the WRRC Call for Proposals.

 

Impacts of Nanoparticles on the Activated Sludge Process: Effects on Microbial Community Structure and Function
Deepankar Goyal, Dr. Juliette Rooney-Varga, Dept. of Biological Sevices, University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Nanotechnology offers a vast array of promising new materials with unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. In particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have far-reaching potential applications as components of personal care products, pharmaceuticals, electronic devices, energy storage devices, stains and coatings, and new environmental clean-up technologies. While Massachusetts is poised to be a leader in nanotechnology, relatively little is known about the potential health and environmental risks of nanomaterials. As nanomanufacturing and use of nanomaterials become widespread, CNTs and other nanomaterials will inevitably be released into wastewater streams and enter treatment plants. All publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities rely on the 'activated sludge process,' in which controlled microbial degradation of waste materials removes chemical and biological contaminants. Several pure culture studies have indicated that CNTs can exhibit strong microbial toxicity, raising the possibility that they will disrupt microbial communities responsible for biological wastewater treatment and thereby cause the release of untreated contaminants into the environment. However, to date, the impact of CNTs on activated sludge microbial communities is not known.

The graduate research project proposed here will use state-of-the-art molecular biology approaches to analyze the impact of CNTs on microbial communities in activated sludge. Specifically, the proposed research will: 1. determine which phylogenetic groups of activated sludge bacteria are adversely impacted or selectively enriched due to MWCNT exposure, and 2. develop and apply molecular approaches to effectively track the microbial eukaryotic community in activated sludge exposed to MWCNTs. This research will rely on a multidisciplinary approach that combines environmental engineering and state-of-the-art molecular microbial ecology techniques. Through our collaboration with Dr. X.J. Zhang and coworkers, we have access to samples from activated sludge batch reactors exposed to various levels of CNTs. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) will be used to generate genetic 'fingerprints' of activated sludge bacteria and microbial eukaryotes, respectively, from experimental CNT-exposed and control reactors. Sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene will be used to determine the identity of specificmicroorganisms impacted by CNT exposure. This approach will enable us to determine how specific microbial groups are impacted.

The proposed research will provide an assessment of how an emerging contaminant, CNTs, affects the activated sludge process and which specific microbial groups/functions may be vulnerable. Such insight is needed to ensure the sustainable development of nanotechnology, before nanomaterials such as CNTs are released into our environment in large quantities.

Environmental Behaviors of Engineered Nanoparticles in Water
Dr. Baoshan Xing, Dept. of Plant, Soil, Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Nanotechnology is one of the world’s most promising new technologies of the 21st century and is set to have dramatic impacts across the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, material science, engineering, and environmental sciences. The quantity of nanomaterials currently used is about 1,000–2,000 tones per annum worldwide, that will expand to around 10,000-100,000 tones per annum in 2011–2020. Due to the widespread use and large quantity of production in the very near future, engineered nanoparticles will inevitably end up into the environments such as water and soil through waste disposal and unintentional release. Therefore, there are serious environmental and health concerns over these invisible, tiny particles because they are more toxic and chemically active per unit of mass than bulk materials of the same substances. Several very recent studies clearly indicate the toxicity of nanoparticles to animals and human cells. For example, buckyballs (C60 fullerene) are shown to be toxic to water fleas, fish, and rats.

Very little is, however, known about the fate, transport, and transformation of nanoparticles in aqueous systems. How and to what extent nanoparticles influence aquatic ecosystems is not yet clear. As a result, precise assessment of environmental impacts of these nanoparticles on water quality and aquatic systems cannot be made though they can pose significant health and environmental risks. This proposed research will timely address this urgent need to study the physical and chemical behavior of engineered nanoparticles in aqueous phases. The main goal of this work is to generate enough preliminary data for multidisciplinary grant proposals to be submitted to federal funding agencies (e.g., NSF, EPA). The long-term goal is to better understand the environmental behavior of engineered nanoparticles in order to reduce/eliminate their adverse effects and to ensure sustainable development and use of nanotechnology. The specific objectives are: 1) to characterize the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles and their aggregation behaviors under different aqueous conditions using a series of advanced techniques (e.g., NMR, FTIR, AFM, DLS, SEM); 2) to examine the adsorption and desorption of toxic contaminants and dissolved organic matter (DOM) by nanoparticles using a batch equilibration method and to evaluate how DOM affects sorption of contaminants by the nanoparticles; and 3) to determine the mobility and transport of nanoparticles in soils for potential groundwater pollution; and to examine if these nanoparticles enhance the mobility of other toxic chemicals such as PAHs using soil column experiments.  

Quantifying Sediment Transport in Red Brook, Wareham, Massachusetts: Impacts of Dam Removal
Steven Kichefski, Dr. Ellen Douglas, Dr. Allen Gontz, Dept. of Environmental, Earth & Ocean Sciences, UMass Boston

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified sediment as the most widespread pollutant in the
Nation’s rivers and streams, affecting aquatic habitat, drinking water treatment processes, and recreational
uses of rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Dams, dikes and water control structures impound sediment and
impede the natural flow and transport processes within a river. The impact of dam removal on sediment
processes is largely unknown. We propose to study the pre- and post- dam removal sediment dynamics of
the Red Brook, Wareham, Massachusetts, a small coastal stream already identified as a priority for
restoration by the Massachusetts Riverways Program. Our hydrogeomorphic characterization will allow us
to better understand the sediment characteristics of the stream and how restoration activities affect
sediment transport processes. Our dynamic sediment balance will quantify the impacts of dam removal on
sediment redistribution and assist in developing a sediment management plan for the stream. Finally, the
results of our research will help establish a protocol for long-term monitoring of restoration sites at this
and other locations across Massachusetts.

Characterization of wastewater effluent from Western Massachusetts publicly owned treatment works using metaproteomic analysis
Pamela Westgate, Dr. Chul Park, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Proteins constitute a significant portion of POTW effluent organic matter but their identity and nature
remain largely unrevealed and their ecological and environmental impact on receiving waters has been
rarely characterized.

The objective of this research is to conduct metaproteomic characterization of effluent organic matter from
local wastewater treatment plants that discharge their treated wastewaters into the Connecticut River.

Toxicity of Carbon Nanotubes to the Activated Sludge Process: Protective Ability of Extracellular Polymeric Substances
Lauren Luongo, Dr. Xiaoqi (Jackie) Zhang, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered a novel material with growing commercial application due to
their unique properties. Massachusetts is a leader in nanotechnology growth and production; in 2003
alone, nanotechnology companies in Massachusetts received over 100 million in venture capital
investment. The discharge of CNTs from industrial waste or disposal of such materials from commercial
and/or domestic use will inevitably occur with increasing production and enter into wastewater treatment
facilities with unknown consequences. Therefore, a better knowledge of the toxicity of CNTs to biological
processes in wastewater treatment will be critical. The proposed study will attempt to evaluate whether or
not CNTs exhibit toxicity to the activated sludge process with sheared and unsheared activated sludge.
The study will allow for the investigation into whether or not the bacteria in the activated sludge is
protected significantly enough by the EPS and whether or not there is toxicity in the form of respiration
inhibition when exposed to CNTs.

Estimation of Climatic and Anthropogenic Influences on Freshwater Availability
Yushiou Tsai, Dr. Richard Vogel, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Tufts University

Rapid human population growth in the past decades has turned water into a scarce resource in some
Massachusetts watersheds during dry seasons. While water stress issues are in need of immediate
resolution, few assessments have been performed to investigate the relative importance of the two main
anthropogenic influences (land use and water demand) in comparison to the influence of climate on water
availability and their interactions in a comprehensive and systematic fashion. In order to provide
information of freshwater sensitivity regarding these influences and interactions across Massachusetts, this
research will estimate annual and low streamflow elasticity to changes in local climate conditions, land
use, and water demand using (1) a recent multiple regression approach introduced by Vogel et al. (2006)
and (2) a non-linear regression approach. The anticipated results will validate the hypothesis that the
annual and low flows in Massachusetts watersheds are sensitive to changes in local climate, land use, and
human water demand.