University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Studies explore converting wastewater to fertilizer with fungal treatment
Creating fertilizers from organic waste can help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and promote sustainable production. One way of doing this is through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which converts biomass into biocrude oil through a high-temperature, high-pressure process. Two studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explore the use of a fungal treatment to convert […]
How pollution may remain in water after oil spill cleanups
Oil drops from underwater oil spills can break into tinier droplets at the surface that remain suspended in the water, according to research from the University of Illinois Chicago. That means cleanups after disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill may be removing less oil from the environment than was thought. Because oil is lighter than […]
Genetic sequencing uncovers unexpected source of pathogens in floodwaters
Researchers report in the journal Geohealth that local rivers and streams were the source of the Salmonella enterica contamination along coastal North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 – not the previously suspected high number of pig farms in the region. These findings have critical implications for controlling the spread of disease caused by antibiotic-resistant […]
Bidding adieu to sticky ice, but with a grain of salt
As Americans gear up for winter, many will face one of their toughest foes: ice. From delaying flights to making roads slippery, ice accumulation on surfaces wreaks havoc in many ways. But not all ice is created equal. In new research from the University of Illinois Chicago, scientists studied the stickiness of ice containing everyday contaminants such as […]
Plan calls for recycling wastewater to avoid Chicago region water crisis
As municipalities contract with the City of Chicago to supply fresh water from Lake Michigan, a new report from University of Illinois Chicago researchers recommends that plans include supplying recycled water for industry to avoid looming issues related to the region's water supply. The report, which was produced by the Freshwater Lab at UIC in […]
Arsenic in private well water contributes to low birth weight even at low levels
In the largest epidemiologic study of arsenic and birth outcomes to date, researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago and collaborating institutions estimated arsenic levels in U.S. private well water sources by county and compared estimates to documented birth outcomes. They found an association between estimated groundwater arsenic concentration and risk of low birth weight. […]