Each week within our research lab on STAR campus, student members of the Research Team design, innovate, and experiment with various water purification systems. As of Fall 2025, we are experimenting with three primary types of treatment methods: activated carbon/biochar filters, fired-clay filters, and UVC-light sterilization. During the Spring of 2024, we developed a proof-of-concept water filter using activated carbon, winning second place at the 9th annual DENIN Research Symposium. Though this design was originally developed to remove chlorine from water, a prior method of removing E.Coli, we have since pivoted to alternative water treatment methods that directly treat various bacteria. While our short-term goal is to optimize and scale-up the water treatment prototypes through iterative design, our ultimate goal is to design and implement these methods to purify contaminated water in Malawian villages. This project is a unique opportunity for self-driven research; interested students can expect to gain skills in reading scientific literature, conducting experimental procedures, analyzing data, and communicating results to our broader audience, both within EWB and beyond.

Biochar is a type of organic material created through the process of pyrolysis, the burning of various biomasses using little to no oxygen. This creates an extremely stable form of carbon, which is both tasteless and odorless. It is known that biochar can remove E.Coli and other bacteria from water due to its negatively charged surface, which creates an electrostatic attraction. The bacteria are then trapped within the biochar due to its high porosity and high surface area-like characteristics. Similar porous characteristics in clay also give rise to antimicrobial properties. Thus, allowing clay and biochar to be two potential methods for sustainable water filtration.

Ultraviolet light, or UV light, is a commonly known form of electromagnetic radiation that is outside the range of visible light (380-700 nm), making it completely invisible to the human eye. Ultraviolet C (UVC) is a form of UV light that lies within the range of 100-280 nm. Due to its wavelength and energy capacity, UVC radiation is highly capable of killing off microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. With these properties, UVC light can be utilized to purify contaminated water via light exposure for an extended period of time.

Through our efforts, we have made significant progress in our research, which we’ve proudly shared across the Northeast region. Most notably, we were awarded both second and first place at the 9th and 10th annual Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) Research Symposium, respectively, for undergraduate student researchers. Moreover, in the Spring of 2025, we won second place at the Philadelphia AMP Research Conference. We hope to continue such success as we continue to present our findings at future conferences such as the ASEE Mid-Atlantic Conference and ASEE National Conference in 2026.

If you are interested in the EWB Research Team, please contact project managers Michael Earley (micearle@udel.edu) and Anu Buddhikot (abuddhi@udel.edu).