'We don't see agricultural residue as waste': U of S researchers tackling Sask.'s arsenic problem in water
A team of chemical engineering scholars at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) are tinkering with agricultural waste, to create water filters that remove harmful chemicals such as arsenic from drinking water and wastewater.
Using the synchrotron at the Canadian Light Source (CLS), along with funding from the province’s Agricultural Development Fund, engineers were able to look at agricultural waste such as wheat and canola straw on a microscopic level, to study how this residue absorbs toxins in water.
Jafar Soltan, professor of chemical and biological engineering at U of S said the research into removing harmful chemicals from water could be used at the industry level, to help mining companies clean up tailings from mine sites, but it can also be used at the municipal level, helping communities such as First Nations reserves and clean drinking water supplies.
“Our initial thought was the industry that is dealing with tailings, so we could find these filters … something you pass the water through or you put the filter in the lake and it grabs the pollutants,” Soltan said. “Now we’re looking at a wider range of applications, maybe drinking water, surface water flowing through communities and we want to treat it. We can translate this science into technology.”
Khaled Zoroufchi Benis, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering at U of S says arsenic is a harmful carcinogen found in many sources of water in Saskatchewan, and his research focuses on ways to develop environmentally-friendly filtration systems to get the harmful toxins out.
“We know we have an arsenic problem in our water in Saskatchewan, in drinking water in some rural areas and also in northern Saskatchewan and in the mining industry,” Zoroufchi Benis said.
He added U of S is collaborating with the mining industry to see how agricultural-based residue filtration systems can help remove arsenic from uranium wastewater. But, Zoroufchi Benis is also looking at how this natural filtration system could be used to comb out pharmaceutical chemicals from water systems.
If his research is adopted by technology and used as a new form of water filtration, the country’s agricultural sector could see a big opportunity to recycle its waste into something useful.
“We don’t see agricultural residue as waste, it’s more valuable and in the future we will hear a lot about using agricultural residue not just in water treatment but other applications like energy generation,” Zoroufchi Benis said.
According to an annual report from Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency, who regularly test Saskatchewan water for chemicals including arsenic, of all the testing for arsenic resulting from regular required sampling, there were 32 instances of arsenic exceedances that occurred in samples from 15 human consumptive systems in 2020, according to its report.
Additional voluntary arsenic testing was conducted by 10 human consumptive municipal systems, resulting in 66 additional exceedances.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'
Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Court to hear about search for remains as Winnipeg murder trial enters second day
A courtroom in Winnipeg is expected to hear testimony today about the search for the remains of the four victims of Jeremy Skibicki.