Water Treatment Options Research Articles

Domestic three stage water-treatment option for harvested rainwater in water-stressed communities

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) practice can be traced back millennia, the degree of its modern implementation varies greatly across the world. And is the best option for water-stressed communities. A harvested rainwater quality monitoring study was undertaken at 3 lakes constructed in NUST Islamabad, Pakistan for a period of 10 months over two seasons i.e. wet and dry periods. Overall, harvested rainwater was of good quality, falling within the recreational water quality as per WHO standards with the exceptions for pH, color, turbidity, total coliforms and total bacterial count. A large number of samples tested positive for the total bacterial count and total coliforms, showing that disinfection of harvested rainwater is mandatory prior to use and its direct consumption without treatment may pose a health risk. For its treatment, an indigenously designed (SwissPak) water filter employing physicochemical methods were tested for making harvested rainwater fit for potable use. This filter contains silica sand for pre-filtration, granulated chlorine for disinfection and charcoal for removal of taste, odor and dissolved organic while alum was used as coagulant initially. This filter successfully improved the harvested rainwater quality and proved itself a suitable option for water treatment.

IDST: An integrated decision support tool for treatment and beneficial use of non-traditional water supplies – Part I. Methodology

The treatment and use of non-traditional water supplies such as saline water, domestic wastewater, and produced water from the oil and gas industry has been recognized as a viable solution to address water scarcity. A Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) based integrated decision support tool (iDST) was developed to select a combination of treatment technologies or treatment trains for different types of alternative water and beneficial use options, such as potable use, crop irrigation, livestock watering, hydraulic fracturing, well drilling, environmental restoration, and other industrial applications. The tool integrates costs and treatment capacities of a broad range of treatment technologies from pretreatment, conventional to advanced technologies, and post-treatment. The iDST is fully automated and selects treatment trains based on input data such as feed water quality, target water quality requirements, and treatment selection criteria including technical, energy demand, and economic criteria. The iDST starts with a comprehensive water quality database, then selects the most effective treatment trains that could meet water quality requirement for user selected beneficial use options with respect to multiple technical and economic criteria. The iDST was evaluated based on four case studies, including municipal wastewater for potable reuse and irrigation, and geothermal water for surface discharge and power plant cooling. The iDST selected cost-effective treatment trains capable of producing the water quality required for end uses given site-specific conditions and feed water quality. The iDST provides a comprehensive tool to evaluate potential water treatment and end-use options with consideration of multiple criteria, functions, objectives, and constraints.

Unravelled keratin-derived biopolymers as novel biosorbents for the simultaneous removal of multiple trace metals from industrial wastewater

Biopolymers derived from modified poultry feathers (KB) were developed to target a broad range of potentially toxic trace elements for their removal from synthetic wastewater and industrial process affected water. The chemical modifications increased surface functionality of KBs for enhanced metal adsorption. Unmodified KB (SM-03) added to synthetic wastewater spiked with nine transition and redox sensitive elements (30–50 μg L−1 each) removed >82% of Pb, Ni, Co and Zn, whereas modified KBs (SM-01 and SM-06) removed 68–100% of SeIV, VV and CrVI. Similar results were observed when spiked process water was used. Experimental observation suggested chemical reduction of redox sensitive elements on the modified KB surfaces to their non-toxic/non-mobile redox states. Biopolymer SM-06 showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 17 mg g−1 for VV and 15 mg g−1 for CrVI at ~20 °C. Due to the abundance of raw material and simplicity of the modifications presented here, modified KBs may serve as a useful option for large-scale water treatment.

Mobile Technology Expands Emergency Water Treatment Options

When emergencies strike or unplanned plant shutdowns occur, the need for an immediate solution is critical. As technology and innovation in the water industry have advanced in the past 25 years, fleets of membrane-based mobile water units have become increasingly prevalent. Such mobile water treatment solutions provide rapid, flexible solutions for the evolving needs of water treatment plant operators.

Long-Term Monitoring of a Surface Flow Constructed Wetland Treating Agricultural Drainage Water in Northern Italy

Agricultural drainage water that has seeped into tile drainage systems can cause nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the surface water bodies. Constructed wetlands (CWs) can help mitigate the effects of agricultural non-point sources of pollution and remove different pollutants from tile drainage water. In this study, hydrological and water quality data of a Northern Italian CW that has been treating agricultural drainage water since 2000 were considered to assess its ability to mitigate nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. The effects of such long-term operation on the nutrients and heavy metals that eventually accumulate in CW plants and sediments were also analysed. Since 2003, the CW has received different inflows with different nutrient loads due to several operation modes. However, on average, the outflow load has been 50% lower than the inflow one; thus, it can be said that the system has proved itself to be a viable option for tile drainage water treatment. It was found that the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in the plant tissues varied, whereas the nitrogen content of the soil increased more than 2.5 times. Heavy metals were found accumulated in the plant root systems and uniformly distributed throughout a 60 cm soil profile at levels suitable for private and public green areas, according to the Italian law

Тhe Еffectiveness of Metal and Metalloid Sorption from Mining Influenced Waters by Natural and Modified Peat

This study investigated the sorption behaviour of natural (N peat) and HCl-acid-modified peat (HCl peat) for contaminants in water collected at a mine site in northern Finland. Batch sorption experiments were conducted at room temperature and at 5 °C. Characterization of the sorbents by FTIR and XPS revealed no substantial change in the peat’s functional groups due to the acid treatment. Generally, the N peat was a more efficient sorbent for the mine water, although the HCl peat exhibited better nickel uptake capacity (21 mg Ni/g) than the N peat (16 mg Ni/g) from synthetic water. This is attributed to the lower equilibrium pH in samples treated with the HCl peat as well as the water’s different chemical composition. At room temperature, the N peat removed As(V) (80%) and Ni (85%) at low dosage (1–2 g/L), whereas the HCl peat presented good removal of As(V) (80%) at low dosage (1 g/L) but did not achieve satisfactory removal of Ni, even at a higher dosage (4 g/L). The performance of both sorbents was significantly affected by contact time. Ni removal by N peat increased substantially with contact time whereas removals achieved by HCl peat increased slightly up to 60 min, but decreased significantly at 24 h. Unlike with HCl peat, the N peat was less efficient in the experiments conducted at 5 °C. Overall, for both sorbents, As(V) and Ni were the most efficiently removed contaminants from the mine water. HCl peat had slightly better settling properties, however, both products settled poorly, thus rendering the studied mixing and settling system unsuitable for the proposed application. Nevertheless, both peat products, and especially the N peat, exhibited high contaminant removal potential and could represent a cost-effective and sustainable option for mine water treatment.

Screening and cost assessment strategies for end-of-Pipe Zero Liquid Discharge systems

Abstract Zero Liquid Discharge refers to the elimination of wastewater discharge from a process. Many Zero Liquid Discharge systems are designed to meet the increasingly stringent environmental regulations and enable water recovery. Generally speaking, a Zero Liquid Discharge process must be capable of minimizing produced wastewater volumes, by employing effective water treatment options. It is often crucial to ensure that effective combinations of treatment technologies are used to assemble a Zero Liquid Discharge system, in an economically feasible manner. Even though various recommendations for enhancing treatment systems involve minimizing wastewater generation, which would reduce the volume of wastewater treated all the way to Zero Liquid Discharge, it is often costly to retrofit existing wastewater generating systems, especially if large brine flowrates are involved. As a result, numerous brine-generating processes (such as desalination plants, textile plants etc.) employ end-of-pipe Zero Liquid Discharge systems, to meet strict environmental discharge standards. This paper aims to identify effective design strategies for End-of-Pipe Zero Liquid Discharge systems, by proposing an optimization approach that allows the screening through various treatment and Zero Liquid Discharge technologies, so as to assemble cost-effective Zero Liquid Discharge strategies and enable suitable water recovery options. The proposed model has been illustrated using a case study that demonstrates how the generated Zero Liquid Discharge scheme changes by varying the End-of-Pipe discharge requirements.

An odyssey of process and engineering trends in forward osmosis

Forward osmosis as a water treatment option has been extensively studied in recent decades owing to its energy efficiency and enhanced performance.

Integrated aerobic granular sludge and membrane process for enabling municipal wastewater treatment and reuse water production

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS), as an aggregate of numerous self-immobilized functional microorganisms, has been recognized as an increasingly viable option for wastewater treatment and reuse water production. This study aimed at evaluating the application of AGS reactor as primary, ultrafiltration (UF) as secondary and nanofiltration (NF) as tertiary treatment for the treatment of municipal wastewater, focusing on determining the membrane fouling mechanism and reuse water production. AGS reactor, UF and NF exhibit high removal efficiency for COD (51.33%, 90.48% and 99.26%) and nutrients (53.63%, 94.84% and 98.06% total nitrogen, and 49.8%, 97.07% and 98.73% phosphorus), indicating that the integrated aerobic granular sludge and UF/NF process could provide high pollution removal and quality reuse water. As for filtration behavior of UF and NF, shear stress produced by agitation speed could significantly improve flux, due to the dispersion of pollutants. Besides, for AGS, improved simultaneous nitrification and denitrification by the internal anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic structure and the richer biological community increased foulant removal, while the larger pore size and mature structure also reduced foulant deposition. Moreover, shear stress also diminished the total fouling resistance, reversible fouling and irreversible fouling, as well membrane cleaning efficiency was promoted, by controlling AGS deposition on membrane. In addition, the fouling mechanism of conventional floc sludge and that of AGS were deeply analyzed and respectively compared, from three aspects, namely, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Overall, the results demonstrated an alternative option for water treatment and reuse water production in an integrated AGS and membrane process.

Temporal characterization and statistical analysis of flowback and produced waters and their potential for reuse

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has allowed for the utilization of previously unattainable shale oil and gas (O&G) resources. After HF is complete, the waters used to increase the facies' permeability return uphole as wastewaters. When these waters return to the surface, they are characterized by complex organic and inorganic chemistry, and can pose a health risk if not handled correctly. Therefore, these waters must be treated or disposed of properly. However, the variability of these waters' chemical composition over time is poorly understood and likely limits the applicability of their reuse. This study examines the water chemistry of a hydraulically fractured site in the Niobrara formation throughout the flowback period. Samples were collected every other day for the first 18days, then on a regular basis for three months. We identified HF fluid additives, including benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), alkyl ethoxylates (AEOs), and polyethylene glycols (PEGs), as well as geogenic components present in flowback and produced waters, their overall temporal pattern, and variables affecting the reuse of these waters. Observations indicate that alkalinity and iron may limit the reuse of these waters in HF, while chloride and alkalinity may limit the use of these waters for well-casing cement. The presence of numerous surfactant homologs, including biocides, was also observed, with the highest levels at the beginning of the flowback period. Principal component analysis identified three unique groupings in the chemical data that correspond to different stages in the flowback period: (1) the flowback stage (days 1–2); (2) the transition stage (days 6–21); and (3) the produced water stage (days 21–87). Results from this study will be important when designing decision frameworks for assessing water treatment options, particularly if onsite treatment is attempted. Successful reclamation of these waters may alleviate stress on water resources that continues to negatively impact the U. S.

Biocompatible water softening system using cationic protein from moringa oleifera extract

In developing countries like India, the deciding factors for the selection of the specific water purification system are the flow rate, cost of implementation and maintenance, availability of materials for fabrication or assembling, technical manpower, energy requirement and reliability. But most of them are energy and cost intensive which necessitate the development of cost-effective water purification system. In this study, the feasibility of development of an efficient and cost-effective water purifier using Moringa oleifera cationic protein coated sand column to treat drinking water is presented. Moringa oleifera seeds contain cationic antimicrobial protein which acts as biocoagulant in the removal of turbidity and also aids in water softening. The main disadvantage of using Moringa seeds in water purification is that the dissolved organic matter (DOM) which is left over in the water contributes to growth of any pathogens that come into contact with the stored water. To overcome this limitation, the Moringa oleifera cationic protein coated sand (MOCP c-sand) is prepared in which the flocculant and antimicrobial properties of the MOCP are maintained and the DOM to be rinsed away. The efficiency of MOCP c-sand in removing suspended particles and reducing total hardness (TH), chloride, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) was also studied. Also, it is shown that the functionalized sand showed the same treatment efficiency even after being stored dry and in dehydrated condition for 3 months. This confirms MOCP c-sand’s potential as a locally sustainable water treatment option for developing countries since other chemicals used in water purification are expensive.

Community Wastewater Treatment with Attached Growth Assisted Constructed Wetland Reactor

Constructed wetlands are systems of artificial wastewater treatment which consists of shallow ponds or channels that have been planted with aquatic plants. The treatment is based on the natural, biological, physical and chemical treatment of wastewater. The technique is reported to be cost effective as compared to other methods. The constructed wetlands have impermeable clay or synthetic coatings and artificial structures for controlling the direction of flow, liquid retention time and the water level. However, there are certain limitations of constructed wetland system, which need improvement for its wide adoptability. As such the effort was made to assist the constructed wetland system with attached growth system with the aim to design an economical and user friendly waste water treatment option for the small community. The laboratory scale model was fabricated using GI sheet of thickness 0.5 mm. The overall capacity of the model was 275 L. The laboratory scale reactor model consisted of four compartments out of which first three compartments were based on attached growth system and the fourth compartment acted as constructed wetland reactor. All the three compartments were packed with different types of artificial, semi-artificial and natural media. The fourth compartment consisted of media packed from bottom as aerocon stone layers 03 in numbers followed by snail shell, followed by a soil layer of 80 mm thick which holds the plants in rows. The reactor was operated as continuous flow reactor with varying detention time and change of different type of media packed in the reactor. The performance of Customized Constructed Wetland reactor was observed under various operating conditions for removal of BOD, COD and TS parameters. The paper presents the details regarding the development of the reactor model, operation of the reactor model and results obtained during the course of study. The paper also cover the discussion regarding the improved performance of reactor noted during the study and adoptability of the developed reactor model for community waste treatment.

Formation and control of nitrogenous DBPs from Western Australian source waters: Investigating the impacts of high nitrogen and bromide concentrations

We studied the formation of four nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs) classes (haloacetonitriles, halonitromethanes, haloacetamides, and N-nitrosamines), as well as trihalomethanes and total organic halogen (TOX), after chlorination or chloramination of source waters. We also evaluated the relative and additive toxicity of N-DBPs and water treatment options for minimisation of N-DBPs. The formation of halonitromethanes, haloacetamides, and N-nitrosamines was higher after chloramination and positively correlated with dissolved organic nitrogen or total nitrogen. N-DBPs were major contributors to the toxicity of both chlorinated and chloraminated waters. The strong correlation between bromide concentration and the overall calculated DBP additive toxicity for both chlorinated and chloraminated source waters demonstrated that formation of brominated haloacetonitriles was the main contributor to toxicity. Ozone–biological activated carbon treatment was not effective in removing N-DBP precursors. The occurrence and formation of N-DBPs should be investigated on a case-by-case basis, especially where advanced water treatment processes are being considered to minimise their formation in drinking waters, and where chloramination is used for final disinfection.

Tetraselmis as a challenge organism for validation of ballast water UV systems

Transport and release of waterborne organisms as a result of ballasting and de-ballasting operations is widely acknowledged to represent an important mechanism for invasions by non-indigenous species. Regulatory requirements have been implemented globally to require treatment of ballast water before its release to the environment as a means of minimizing risks of invasion. UV-based processes represent an option for ballast water treatment; however, their use will require development of appropriate methods for reactor validation. To address this need, Tetraselmis was examined as challenge organism using a most probable number (MPN) assay for quantification of the concentration of viable (reproductively active) cells in suspension. A low pressure collimated-beam reactor was used to investigate UV254 dose-response behavior of Tetraselmis. Based on the experimental conditions applied, Tetraselmis indicated 4.5–5 log10 units of inactivation for UV254 doses of approximately 120 mJ/cm2, with no apparent change of resistance resulting from repeated exposure. A medium pressure UV collimated-beam reactor equipped with a series of narrow bandpass optical filters was used to investigate the action spectrum of Tetraselmis for wavelengths ranging from 228 nm–297 nm. Radiation with wavelengths in the range 254–280 nm was observed to be most efficient for inactivation of Tetraselmis. Additionally, DNA was extracted from Tetraselmis to allow measurement of its absorption spectrum. These results indicated strong absorbance from 254 nm to 280 nm, thereby suggesting that damage to DNA plays an important role in the inactivation of Tetraselmis sp. However, deviations of the action spectrum shape from the shape of the DNA absorption spectrum suggest that UV-induced damage to biomolecules other than DNA may contribute to Tetraselmis inactivation at some wavelengths in the UVC range.

Design, Development and Evaluation of a Laboratory-Scale Phytoremediation System Using Eichhornia Crassipes for the Treatment

Tanneries have become a serious environmental problem due to the lack of cheap water treatment options in the sector. A viable alternative is to implement the macrophyte aquatic plant (Eichhornia crassipes), which has an extensive presence in bodies of water in Cundinamarca, Colombia. The plant has a high invasive capacity, growing uncontrollably in wetlands, lakes, etc. It has the capacity to accumulate and transform organic matter and, especially, to accumulate metals heavy in its morphology. For this study we designed and built a biological (phytoremediation) treatment system for the removal and uptake of chromium in tannery wastewater in the San Benito sector of southern Bogota. Eichhornia crassipes was the agent of retention of these pollutant compounds, and we concluded that the use of this plant is an economical and technologically feasible solution for the tannery industry.

Cost, energy, global warming, eutrophication and local human health impacts of community water and sanitation service options

We compared water and sanitation system options for a coastal community across selected sustainability metrics, including environmental impact (i.e., life cycle eutrophication potential, energy consumption, and global warming potential), equivalent annual cost, and local human health impact. We computed normalized metric scores, which we used to discuss the options' strengths and weaknesses, and conducted sensitivity analysis of the scores to changes in variable and uncertain input parameters. The alternative systems, which combined centralized drinking water with sanitation services based on the concepts of energy and nutrient recovery as well as on-site water reuse, had reduced environmental and local human health impacts and costs than the conventional, centralized option. Of the selected sustainability metrics, the greatest advantages of the alternative community water systems (compared to the conventional system) were in terms of local human health impact and eutrophication potential, despite large, outstanding uncertainties. Of the alternative options, the systems with on-site water reuse and energy recovery technologies had the least local human health impact; however, the cost of these options was highly variable and the energy consumption was comparable to on-site alternatives without water reuse or energy recovery, due to on-site reuse treatment. Future work should aim to reduce the uncertainty in the energy recovery process and explore the health risks associated with less costly, on-site water treatment options.

Parametric analysis of technology costs for CO2 storage in saline formations

Over the last decade, a substantial amount of economic, engineering, and geoscience research has focused on storing CO2 in geological formations. Of those different formations, storage in saline water-bearing formations represents the largest storage potential. Fossil fuel-based power plants in the U.S. (coal and natural gas) contributed to 40% of all CO2 emissions in 2008 and therefore represent an important factor to address atmospheric CO2 emissions.The Water, Energy and Carbon Sequestration Simulation Model (WECSsim) was developed to calculate water use and treatment options, CO2 injection volumes and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) results for both a single representative power plant paired with a saline formation scenario, and a full power plant fleet. The details of the analysis presented here broadly demonstrate the sensitivity of CO2 capture and storage (CCS) costs in geologic saline formations with water extraction, treatment and reuse to changes in the water demands associated with implementing CCS across the power plant fleet (coal and natural gas).The majority of the coal and natural gas plants in the U.S. have an avoided cost of $70–200 per tonne of CO2. Storing 1.0Gt/yr of the nation’s 2.3Gt/yr total CO2 emissions returns an avoided (storage) cost of range 79–143 (57–81) $/t ($US 2013) under various scenarios. These scenarios include allowing competition between power plants for saline formation space to store CO2, varying the duration of the storage rights, and permitting the extraction of saline waters for treatment.Under the same 1Gt/yr captured scenario, the extracted and treated water volumes could offset 12% of the added water demand due to the parasitic energy requirements of CCS at the national level. The cost of water treatment, using a reverse osmosis system, ranges between approximately $3.20/m3 water (for larger, older coal-fired plants like the San Juan Power Generating Station) and $2.60/m3 water for natural gas combined cycle plants (such as the Oyster Creek Power Generating Station) with substantial variability in costs based on plant location and design. For context, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) composition of the pulverized coal-based San Juan Generation Station is 52%, 43% and 5% for the base LCOE, parasitic energy requirements, and water extraction, treatment and utilization costs, respectively. Similarly, for the Oyster Creek natural gas combined cycle plant, these percentages are 64%, 33%, and 2% of the total LCOE, respectively. In both technology cases the parasitic energy requirement costs far outweigh the cost to extract, treat, transport, and utilize saline formation waters.Additional results indicate that of the 325 saline formations included in the national-level analysis, the Mt. Simon formation has an estimated capacity to hold 53% of all the CO2 generated from the U.S. coal and natural gas-based power plants without extracting and treating saline water. The St. Peter Sandstone formation could hold 43%, though with saline water extraction and treatment. These results suggest that focusing research, development and demonstration (RD&D) efforts on careful geologic site selection and reducing the parasitic energy penalty, and its respective costs, will help lower the overall cost of CCS across the U.S. coal and natural gas-based power plant fleet.

Opportunities for increasing CO2 storage in deep, saline formations by active reservoir management and treatment of extracted formation water: Case study at the GreenGen IGCC facility, Tianjin, PR China

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) seeks beneficial applications for CO2 recovered from fossil fuel combustion. This study evaluated the potential for removing formation water to create additional storage capacity for CO2, while simultaneously treating the produced water for beneficial use. The process would control pressures within the target formation, lessen the risk of caprock failure, and better control the movement of CO2 within that formation. The project plans to highlight the method of using individual wells to produce formation water prior to injecting CO2 as an efficient means of managing reservoir pressure. Because the pressure drawdown resulting from pre-injection formation water production will inversely correlate with pressure buildup resulting from CO2 injection, it can be proactively used to estimate CO2 storage capacity and to plan well-field operations. The project studied the GreenGen site in Tianjin, China where Huaneng Corporation is capturing CO2 at a coal fired IGCC power plant. Known as the Tianjin Enhanced Water Recovery (EWR) project, local rock units were evaluated for CO2 storage potential and produced water treatment options were then developed. Average treatment cost for produced water with a cooling water treatment goal ranged from 2.27 to 2.96 US$/m3 (recovery 95.25%), and for a boiler water treatment goal ranged from 2.37 to 3.18 US$/m3 (recovery 92.78%). Importance analysis indicated that water quality parameters and transportation are significant cost factors as the injection-extraction system is managed over time. The study found that in a broad sense, active reservoir management in the context of CCUS/EWR is technically feasible. In addition, criteria for evaluating suitable vs. unsuitable reservoir properties, reservoir storage (caprock) integrity, a recommended injection/withdrawal strategy and cost estimates for water treatment and reservoir management are proposed.

The Disgust Box: a novel approach to illustrate water contamination with feces.

Inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene are responsible for approximately 800,000 deaths per year in low- and middle-income countries. We evaluated the benefits of a behavior change communication method to motivate water treatment practices in urban low income communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. To motivate people to chlorinate their water we used a device called the 'Disgust Box'. This box provides a vivid demonstration of how piped water is contaminated with feces. Most of the respondents were able to recall the Disgust Box demonstration at both 4-month and 1-year follow-up qualitative assessments. At 4 months, the majority of participants stated that they still felt disgusted by the demonstration and mentioned it as a motivator for water chlorination. However, after one year, despite being able to recall the demonstration, disgust was no longer mentioned as a motivator to chlorinate water. The Disgust Box has the potential to be an effective communication method and is more likely to work if it is part of an intervention that includes repeated presentations and a more attractive water treatment option.

Photocatalytic decomposition of selected estrogens and their estrogenic activity by UV-LED irradiated TiO2 immobilized on porous titanium sheets via thermal-chemical oxidation

The removal of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) remains a big challenge in water treatment. Risks associated with these compounds are not clearly defined and it is important that the water industry has additional options to increase the resiliency of water treatment systems. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has potential applications for the removal of EDCs from water. TiO2 has been immobilized on supports using a variety of synthesis methods to increase its feasibility for water treatment. In this study, we immobilized TiO2 through the thermal-chemical oxidation of porous titania sheets. The efficiency of the material to degrade target EDCs under UV-LED irradiation was examined under a wide range of pH conditions. A yeast-estrogen screen assay was used to complement chemical analysis in assessing removal efficiency. All compounds but 17β-estradiol were degraded and followed a pseudo first-order kinetics at all pH conditions tested, with pH 4 and pH 11 showing the most and the least efficient treatments respectively. In addition, the total estrogenic activity was substantially reduced even with the inefficient degradation of 17β-estradiol. Additional studies will be required to optimize different treatment conditions, UV-LED configurations, and membrane fouling mitigation measures to make this technology a more viable option for water treatment.