PIRE: Climate Resilient Sustainable Food Production: Controlled Environment Hydroponic Agriculture with Novel Wastewater Treatment & Reuse

PIRE：适应气候变化的可持续粮食生产：采用新型废水处理技术的受控环境水培农业

基本信息

批准号：
2230696
负责人：
David Ladner
金额：
$ 150万
依托单位：
Clemson University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2023
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2023-01-01 至 2025-12-31
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2230696&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
PIRE Climate Resilient Sustainable Food

项目摘要

Increasingly frequent regional droughts induced by climate change have raised concerns about food security. Given the high land, water, energy, and carbon footprints of traditional open field crop cultivation, controlled environment agriculture using greenhouses or modular containers is becoming more advantageous. In regions with freshwater scarcity, non-traditional water sources such as reclaimed wastewater are being considered for irrigation. However, there are concerns about the unit costs and energy requirements of wastewater treatment as well as potential microbial risks to consumers. Here, the team advances the development of a sustainable agriculture platform where irrigation water contains plant nutrients present in wastewater. An anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is used to treat wastewater and produce methane-rich biogas. Recovered methane offset the energy requirements of the system. It can be converted to carbon dioxide to enrich the atmosphere around the plants to enhance their growth. The AnMBR uses its inherent membrane and an ultraviolet disinfection step to remove pathogens from the water. Plants such as lettuce are grown with a hydroponic (soil-less) nutrient film technique that is engineered to efficiently use the water and nutrients from the AnMBR. This is a way to simultaneously reduce water and fertilizer consumption. Recycling the water from the nutrient film technique allows maximizing the "crop per drop." This project also supports one postdoctoral fellow, and graduate and undergraduate students notably from underrepresented groups in science. Its outcomes may provide a climate-smart solution yielding fresh vegetables in densely populated areas.This project is a collaboration between investigators in the United States at Clemson University and in the Republic of Korea at Gyeongsang National University and Korea University. Korea is a global leader in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The international collaboration allows a comparative assessment of different crops, climate conditions, and cultural perspectives. It enables concept exchange between the two distinct global regions. A contrast of CEA activities in the USA and Korea facilitates knowledge transfer about best practices in peri-urban and urban agriculture. The project has five thrusts: (1) development and testing of the AnMBR system; (2) development and testing of the nutrient film technique (NFT) system; (3) integrating sensors for monitoring nutrients and waterborne pathogens into and out of the systems; (4) studying good manufacturing practices, microbial risk, and food safety; (5) performing a technoeconomic analysis and life cycle assessment. Educational integration will be realized through three unique components: (1) a virtual and physical exchange program between PhD students of all participating institutions; (2) a tiered, multi-institutional research and mentoring program incorporating undergraduate students; (3) a "hack-a-thon" event comprised of interdisciplinary student teams blended across institutions. The investigators will exchange knowledge with growers, government representatives, and consumers through the activities of a Stakeholder Advisory Group.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.

气候变化引起的越来越频繁的区域干旱引起了人们对粮食安全的关注。鉴于传统的开放作物种植的高土地，水，能源和碳足迹，使用温室或模块化容器的受控环境农业变得越来越有利。在淡水稀缺的地区，正在考虑灌溉的非传统水源，例如再生废水。但是，人们担心废水处理的单位成本和能源需求以及对消费者的潜在微生物风险。在这里，团队推进了一个可持续农业平台的开发，灌溉水含有废水中存在的植物营养。厌氧膜生物反应器（ANMBR）用于治疗废水并产生富含甲烷的沼气。回收的甲烷抵消了系统的能量要求。它可以转化为二氧化碳，以丰富植物周围的大气以增强其生长。 ANMBR使用其固有的膜和紫外消毒步骤来清除水中的病原体。诸如生菜之类的植物是用水培（无土）营养膜技术生长的，该技术旨在有效地使用ANMBR的水和养分。这是一种同时减少水和肥料消耗的方式。从营养膜技术中回收水，可以最大程度地提高“每滴作物”。该项目还支持一位博士后研究员，研究生和本科生，特别是来自科学领域的人数不足的群体。它的结果可能提供气候智能的解决方案，在人口稠密的地区产生新鲜的蔬菜。该项目是美国克莱姆森大学的研究人员与大韩民国Gyeongsang国立大学和韩国大学的调查人员之间的合作。韩国是受控环境农业（CEA）的全球领导者。国际合作允许对不同作物，气候条件和文化观点进行比较评估。它可以在两个不同的全球区域之间进行概念交换。美国和韩国的CEA活动的对比促进了有关城市和城市农业最佳实践的知识转移。该项目有五个推力：（1）ANMBR系统的开发和测试；（2）营养膜技术（NFT）系统的开发和测试；（3）整合传感器，以监测养分和水传播病原体进入系统；（4）研究良好的制造实践，微生物风险和食品安全；（5）进行技术经济分析和生命周期评估。教育融合将通过三个独特的组成部分来实现：（1）所有参与机构的博士生之间的虚拟和物理交换计划；（2）纳入本科生的分层，多机构的研究和指导计划；（3）由跨学科学生团队组成的“黑客攻击”活动在机构中混合在一起。调查人员将通过利益相关者咨询小组的活动与种植者，政府代表和消费者交换知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估的评估来支持的。