The PI will conduct sorption and desorption batch tests, and use an innovative soil slab reactor to simultaneously detect hormones and their intermediates in surface runoff, leachate, and soil as affected by rainfall events, aging times, and soil depths. The specific objectives of this work are to determine: (1) how hormones will associate or dissociate with different soil components (e.g., colloids); and (2) how environmental conditions (e.g., soil/water chemistry) will affect interactions between hormones and soils. Hormones associated with different soil components and size fractions in the solid and liquid compartment of the reactor will be determined with the help of membrane filtration technology. The PI will determine kinetic parameters of sorption and desorption processes, interactions between hormones and soil components, and possible mechanisms governing a hormone?s fate and transport under different test conditions. This project will not only increase understanding of releases, fate, and transport of hormones, their conjugates or intermediates in the soil/water environment under different conditions, but also increase knowledge of how to bridge the results from the batch tests with field conditions (as mimicked by the soil slab reactor) using the improved fundamentals. Results and methods developed in this research are potentially transformational, and may result in a paradigm shift as to characterizing and predicting the fate and transport of pollutants in the environment. In terms of broader impacts, results from this work can be used by decision-makers, researchers and engineers to develop or modify regulations concerning the use of manure and release of pollutants into the environment. Students will receive intensive training with undergraduates from tribal colleges being involved in the project. Enhancement of educational and research capacities at the University of Nebraska will be realized. The PI will use this project as a vehicle to train high school students and teachers via the Academy of Excellence Program and the Engineering Week, which will help to recruit ethnically diverse students.
