Catalyst Award: Plant and Rhizosphere Processes that Prevent Groundwater Contamination from Metals and Nitrates

Catalyst Projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution, and involve undergraduate students in research experiences. This project at North Carolina A&T University will develop sustainable technological solutions to current and emerging agricultural and urban environmental problems to protect water resources and increase agricultural productivity. The project will actively engage underrepresented students in interdisciplinary research, while building a strong relationship with the local high school community.

The intermittent application of carbon-rich food processing wastewater to soil for treatment can create saturated and anaerobic conditions or aerobic conditions and lead to mobilization of redox-sensitive soil native metals or nitrate. The goal of the project is to evaluate plant and rhizobial processes important to reduce mobilization of metal and nitrate to groundwater during land application of carbon-rich food processing wastewater. This project will use column studies to evaluate evapotranspiration, rhizostimulation, plant uptake, oxygenation and phytosequestration. It utilizes analysis of soil, water and plant samples, and measurement of soil oxidation-reduction potential, soil moisture and soil microbial communities. The research identifies the role of individual rhizobial and plant-processes towards nitrate and metal mobilization in laboratory scales. The research results are important for development of plant-based engineering solutions to reduce land treatment system problems.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.