Water and Environmental Technology (WET) Center

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

The Water and Environmental Technology (WET) Center develops and tests technologies to understand and mitigate emerging and traditional contaminants in water. The WET Center’s mission is to develop methods and technologies to detect, understand, mitigate and/or control contaminants, including conventional and emerging contaminants of concern, that can adversely impact water quality and the environment.

The WET Center focuses on water contaminants (chemical, biological, physical), water quality, and water treatment technologies, researching conventional and emerging contaminants of concern (ECCs). ECCs generally refers to chemicals, biological agents, and materials recently detected in the environment that may pose a potential or real threat to human health or the environment, but that are not generally regulated or expected to undergo changes in regulations. ECCs have also been referred to as micropollutants, chemical compounds of emerging concern, microconstituents, and trace organics. Examples include pharmaceuticals, per- and polyfluorinated substances, microplastics, and others.

The WET Center engineers and scientists use microbial, chemical, and mathematical approaches to perform collaborative research. Faculty and students work with industry representatives and build upon their research dealing with water contaminants and technologies.

Universities

• Temple University
• University of Arizona
• Arizona State University

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Center Personnel