Be part of the conversation

9:00 am: Registration

10:00: Welcome and Introductions

• Blase Leven, Kansas State University, Center for Hazardous Substance Research
• Susan Metzger, Kansas State University, Kansas Water Institute

10:30: Emerging Contaminants: What are they and why are they such a big concern?
Placidus Amama, KSU Chemical Engineering

11:00: Emerging contaminants in reclaimed wastewater used for crop irrigation: Wastewater variability, plant uptake, and chemical transformations
Sara Nason, CT Agricultural Experiment Station

11:30: Shared Water, Shared Solutions for Improving Water Quality in the Little Arkansas Watershed
Ron Graber, KSU Extension and Logan Walker, City of Wichita

12:00 pm: Lunch

~12:20: Luncheon Presentation, DOE National Laboratories Tackling Legacy Waste and Emerging Contaminants
Christian Johnson, Senior Development Engineer and RemPlex Operations Director, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

1:00: Quantifying the Bioaccumulation and Fate of PFAS in Cyanobacterial Blooms: Implications for Reservoir Management and Drinking Water Protection
Lochan Pandeya, KU Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering

1:30: Leveraging Knowledge Graphs for PFAS Monitoring and Decision-Making
Yinglun Zhang, KSU

2:00: Atomically Thin Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Designing Phosphate Sensors
Suprem Das, KSU Industrial, Manufacturing & Systems Engineering

2:30: Confined Animal Feeding and Nutrient Control
Casey Guccione, KDHE

3:15: Break

3:30: Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Muscle Tissue Using FTIR Microspectroscopy and Chemometrics
Umut Yucel, KSU School of Health Sciences

4:00: Hybrid Nanomaterial-based Electrochemical Sensor for Cosmetics: Unmasking the Beast Behind Beauty
Aarthi Kannan, KSU

4:30: Facilitated Reflection, Discussion and Day 1 Wrap-up

• Needs
• Existing Solutions
• Gaps

5:00: Day 1 Concludes

5:30 – 7:00: Evening Reception at the Carl R. Ice, College of Engineering Building, Ground Floor Atrium
Join us for hors d'oeuvres, sponsorship recognition and research poster presentations.

7:30 am: Continental style breakfast

8:00: Aquifer Water Quality Assessment Program
Nicholas Schneider, Kansas Geological Survey

8:10: Advanced Analysis of PFAS, Pesticides, Herbicides, and Emerging Contaminants
Kushan Kompalage and Madhubhashini B. Galkaduwa, Water Quality Laboratory, Kansas Water Institute, KSU

8:20: PFAS Transformation in Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors Treating Livestock Wastewater
Prathap Parameswaran, KSU Civil Engineering

8:30: Short Break

8:40: Regeneration of PFAS-Laden GAC Using Non-thermal Plasma
Manisha Choudhary, KSU

8:50: Pilot-Scale Fabrication of Activated Carbon Electrodes for Capacitive Deionization of Nitrate-contaminated Ground Water
Sanjeev Billa (KSU)

9:00: Understanding Controls on Nitrate Concentration in Groundwater: An Evolutionar Algorithm Approach
Shreya Chatterjee, KU

9:10:Short Break

9:15: Instructions on Facilitation portion of the morning

9:30: Break

9:45: Facilitation sessions (Discussion will take place regarding: Assets, Gaps, and Opportunities)
Rooms: Cottonwood, 203, 204, and 205

11:00: Break

11:15: Conclusions and next steps (Cottonwood room)

12:00 pm: Symposium concludes

Placidus Amama, (KSU Chemical Engineering)

Abstract coming soon

Sara Nason (CT Agricultural Experiment Station)

Reuse of treated wastewater for crop irrigation is an important water conservation strategy, but many contaminants are present in wastewater that may transfer to the edible portions of crop plants. These can include pharmaceuticals, pesticides, PFAS, and other chemicals used in personal and industrial products. In addition to contaminants that enter wastewater prior to treatment, many chemical transformation processes occur during treatment, storage, and plant growth. These transformations may generate additional bioactive compounds. Furthermore, wastewater effluent is a highly variable matrix and its suitability for use in irrigation may change over time. Our research investigates these concerns using non-targeted analysis, a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based method that allows for investigation of contaminants without using a pre-determined list of analytes. Over a series of studies, we have examined the impacts of stormwater infiltration on the suitability of wastewater effluent for irrigation reuse, and we have used novel data analysis techniques to determine contaminant transformation pathways as the chemicals move through wastewater treatment and into plant growth systems. These studies are important steps forward for understanding contaminant movement in irrigated agricultural systems and the impacts that contaminants may have on human and environmental health.

Ron Graber (KSU Extension) and Logan Walker (City of Wichita)

The Little Arkansas River Watershed in south-central Kansas encompasses more than 1,400 square miles, 478 stream miles, and 88 acres of lakes. Cropland is the dominant land use, and management practices stemming from corn, soybean, wheat, and grain sorghum production can contribute to water quality challenges in the area, including excess nutrients, sediment, fecal coliform bacteria, and atrazine contamination.

In 2004, local stakeholders completed a watershed restoration and protection strategy (WRAPS) and identified the reduction of atrazine concentrations in surface waters as their highest priority. Atrazine poses a particular concern because the City of Wichita relies on water from the Little Arkansas River. Before river water can be treated and stored in the Equus Beds Aquifer as part of the city’s artificial recharge program, it must meet water quality standards. When atrazine concentrations in the river exceed 3 ppb, additional treatment is required, which increases costs and operational complexity.

Recognizing that long-term solutions would require collaboration beyond traditional regulatory approaches, K-State Extension and the City of Wichita established a unique agricultural-municipal partnership to address atrazine impairments. The program combines producer education, on-farm demonstrations, surface water monitoring, and financial incentives to encourage adoption of best management practices. Together, these efforts help reduce atrazine losses while supporting productive agricultural operations.

This presentation will examine the development of the partnership, lessons learned from 20 years of implementation, remaining challenges, and opportunities for future collaboration to address emerging water quality concerns in the watershed.

Christian Johnson (Senior Development Engineer and RemPlex Operations Director, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Abstract coming soon

Lochan Pandeya (KU Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and harmful algal blooms (HABs) are two arising threats to freshwater ecosystems and drinking water supplies, yet the impacts of the combined threats remain insufficiently characterized. Cyanobacteria have the potential to bioaccumulate PFAS, potentially modifying contaminant transport, persistence, and release within aquatic systems, while PFAS can alter the biochemical behavior of cyanobacteria. Having knowledge of these processes is critical for designing effective strategies to protect drinking water sources and manage reservoirs impacted by both PFAS contamination and HABs. Our initial work focuses on the transport, bioaccumulation, and fate of PFAS in cyanobacterial systems using an integrated laboratory, mesocosm, and field-scale methodology. Laboratory experiments assessed the PFAS uptake by toxic and non-toxic cyanobacterial cultures during both active and stationary growth phases to determine the influence of contaminant properties and growth stage on bioaccumulation. Large-scale outdoor mesocosm experiments investigated PFAS transport within mixed communities and assessed the redistribution of accumulated PFAS during natural bloom decay and engineered lytic treatments commonly employed for bloom control. Complementary field sampling from relevant Kansas’ Reservoirs (Clinton and Marion) applied these findings to real-world drinking water resources affected by both PFAS and harmful algal blooms. Water, biomass, and sediment samples were analyzed using EPA Method 1633 with UPLC-MS/MS to quantify PFAS partitioning among environmental compartments and evaluate the potential for contaminant release following the bloom senescence or treatment. By incorporating controlled laboratory studies with field-scale observations, this research provides new insight into PFAS behavior in freshwater ecosystems and addresses crucial knowledge gaps regarding contaminant transport associated with cyanobacterial blooms. The findings will support improved reservoir management, drinking water protection, and science-based strategies for monitoring and reducing or managing the emerging contaminant threats while facilitating collaboration among researchers, water utilities, and resource managers. protection.

Yinglun Zhang (KSU)

Abstract coming soon

Suprem Das (KSU Industrial, Manufacturing & Systems Engineering)

Molecular sensors are fascinating devices that are indispensable for monitoring wide range of environmental issues, including issues in soil, water, and air. One such molecule is phosphate molecule that has both critical need as well as concerns in the environment. While phosphate is vital nutrient for plant and human physiological growth, its excess in the environment such as land and water are detrimental. Rapid, accurate, and reliable detection of phosphates with high sensitivity and selectivity are one of the goals of our research at K-State, primarily motivated by understanding the soil health and detecting pollutants in water. Nanoscale materials possess a great testbed to enable new sensing platform and our group plays a major role in synthesizing, characterizing, understanding, and designing atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials such as MXene and graphene to advance manufacture phosphate sensors with the goal of developing in-field point-of-care phosphate sensors. Though laboratory-based colorimetric phosphate sensors are being extensively used they have limitations including no field-based applications. The fundamental electrochemical sensors, on the other hand, has potential for in-field sensing but such types of phosphate sensors are not there. In this talk, I will present our recent efforts in developing technologies for electrochemical phosphate sensors using atomically thin nanoscale materials such as MXene and graphene. These sensors are demonstrated to be highly selective towards phosphate in real environmental water with a sensing range from 1 µM to 100’s of µM and a limit of detection (LOD) of ~ 1 µM. Our work lays the foundation for molecular sensing at K-State for water and soil for sustainable agriculture and environment.

Umut Yucel, (KSU School of Health Sciences)


Abstract coming soon

Aarthi Kannan (KSU)


Abstract coming soon

Nicholas Schneider (Kansas Geological Survey)

The KGS's AWQUA Program solves several state-wide groundwater quality issues. The first is to give rural residents the opportunity to have their well tested for common contaminants at no cost, in order to both protect their health and gain valuable data about groundwater quality differences in locales across the state. The second is to monitor some of the same wells over years to determine changes or degradation in groundwater quality in aquifers across the state. Data from our testing as well as any other groundwater quality testing completed by outside organizations can be submitted to the KGS for inclusion into the AWQUA database and display on the online mapper. This provides a centralized location to facilitate data sharing from otherwise scattered reports. As the program has grown, collaboration with outside organizations has allowed additional sampling to be conducted by their personnel and submitted to the KGS laboratory for analysis. Local and state legislators can use the database to track changes and make better policy decisions. Finally, the outreach unit within the AWQUA program raises awareness of groundwater quality issues and provides information to youths and schools in order to raise a new generation of residents with more knowledge about water quality.

Kushan Kompalage and Madhubhashini B. Galkaduwa, (Water Quality Laboratory, Kansas Water Institute, KSU)

abstract coming soon

Prathap Parameswaran (KSU Civil Engineering)

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors (AnMBRs) represent a promising environmental biotechnology platform to enable total resource recovery from municipal, livestock, and industrial wastewaters. The recovered products range from valuable carbon (biogas, carboxylic acids), recovered nutrient products (ammonia, octacalcium phosphate, ammonium sulfate), and water for high quality reuse. Published work and recent findings from our research group confirms this potential for the municipal wastewater and livestock (specifically swine operations) sectors through lab (114L) and pilot (1000 gpd) demonstrations. An unexplored aspect of the AnMBR technology is the mechanisms, fate, and transport of emerging contaminants (PFAS, microplastics, and PPCPs, among others) in the various recovered products and/or the stabilized biosolids. Initial investigations on the fate of PFAS compounds through collaborative research with a colleague at NJIT (Dr. Arjun Venkatesan) revealed some interesting and promising findings: a) early evidence for elongation of short chain PFOA like compounds to longer congeners, as evidenced by their decreased concentration in the permeate/treated water and a relative increase in the longer chain PFAS compounds in the bioreactor solids; b) finite levels of PFAS detected in swine wastes, albeit more intensive data collection is needed to compare levels to municipal wastewater/other PFAS contaminated sites. Pending confirmation, this early finding could likely indicate that anaerobic microcosms like the one studied here, could enable the elongation of short chain PFAS thereby promoting their sorption to the digestate, which can then present opportunities for both its targeted degradation as well as its responsible disposal/land application in the future.

Manisha Choudhary (KSU)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are increasingly recognized as a critical environmental and public health concern due to their persistence, toxicity, and widespread presence in water and soil systems. Granular activated carbon (GAC) has become one of the most widely used materials for removing PFAS from contaminated waters, including municipal supplies and farm runoff. While effective in capturing PFAS, GAC faces a fundamental limitation: once saturated, it either requires disposal to landfills or regeneration through high-temperature thermal processes. Both options carry significant environmental and economic costs. Disposal shifts the problem downstream, while traditional regeneration methods are energy-intensive, degrade the GAC structure, and often fail to fully destroy PFAS. These shortcomings underscore the urgent need for innovative strategies that enable destruction of PFAS and reuse of the carbon media. This project evaluated the use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) as a sustainable method to regenerate PFAS-laden GAC. Non-thermal plasma offers the unique advantage of generating highly reactive species under ambient conditions without the need for extreme heat or chemical additives. Our research explored whether plasma treatment could selectively degrade PFAS molecules adsorbed on GAC surfaces while preserving the structural integrity and adsorption capacity of the carbon for repeated use. We focused on one of the most prevalent and regulated PFAS compounds, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and widely used bituminous coal-based GAC, Filtrasorb 400 (F400). The work examined how key plasma operating parameters, including treatment time and carrier gas composition, affect PFAS degradation efficiency. Beyond the technical contributions, this research provides insights into how an emerging technology can be adapted to an existing treatment platform, opening pathways to scale laboratory results toward pilot systems. Furthermore, our study underscores the potential of non-thermal plasma to shift PFAS management from capture-and-dispose toward capture-and-destroy, aligning with regional and national priorities for sustainable contaminant remediation.

Sanjeev Billa (KSU)

abstract coming soon

Shreya Chatterjee (KU)

Groundwater nitrate concentrations are highly variable and reflect interactions among local-scale controls, including hydrogeologic conditions, climate, land use, land management, and nitrogen inputs. However, these interactions are difficult to resolve using conventional statistical approaches. We investigated the combinations of factors associated with nitrate concentration and variability in Groundwater Management District No. 2 (GMD2), Kansas, and evaluated whether a novel machine-learning approach could identify locations vulnerable to elevated nitrate. The dataset comprised 3,059 groundwater samples collected from 262 locations between 1975 and 2024. Samples were assigned to three classes that combined information on well depth and concentration. Predictor variables represented climate conditions, water table elevation, fertilizer and manure inputs, land cover, irrigation water use, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, subsurface sediment texture, and surface soil texture. The predictors were screened for spatial or temporal variability, interpretability, meaningful relationships with nitrate or sample class, and redundancy. We thereafter applied the Tandem Evolutionary Algorithm (TEVA) to identify parsimonious models/clauses that could describe interacting predictor ranges, as well as more complex models/disjunctive clauses that represent alternative pathways to class membership. Excreted manure nitrogen, water table elevation, mean sand content, ammonium deposition, and precipitation were the most influential variables across classes. Samples with elevated nitrate in shallow wells were primarily associated with elevated nitrogen availability, higher water table, permeable soils, atmospheric inputs, and hydroclimatic conditions, suggesting that these factors jointly contribute to nitrate vulnerability. These findings demonstrate that TEVA can reveal multivariate pathways to groundwater nitrate contamination and help identify site characteristics useful for vulnerability assessment and targeted groundwater management.