Dinh An Phan and Rickie Wu are rising seniors at Farragut High School (FHS).
They are also nationally recognized water science researchers.
During a sophomore year research seminar, Phan and Wu discovered that they share a passion for water science—especially the issue of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination. PFASs are widely used for firefighting foams and waterproof coatings, but they are also persistent environmental contaminants with potential risks to biodiversity and human health. Though there are PFAS remediation (removal) methods, many of them are too expensive to be deployed on a large scale.
“Water is one of the most important resources we have,” said Phan. “When we learned about PFAS (water contamination), we wanted to do something about it.”
After turning in their seminar project, Phan and Wu began searching around Knoxville for ways to get involved. They reached out to Goodrich Chair of Excellence in Civil Engineering Frank Loeffler, whose lab specializes in studying microbes and materials that can reduce PFAS contamination, to see how they could help. Before long, they were conducting original research.
“It was refreshing to see them so enthusiastic about learning, about pursuing future careers in science or engineering,” said Cindy Swift, Loeffler’s lab manager. “We didn’t have to tell them, ‘Hey, go do this.’ They were very open to (asking), ‘What else can I do? How can I improve this?’
Thanks to their hard work and guidance from researchers in the Loeffler lab, Phan and Wu demonstrated that their novel system removes more PFASs from water than existing methods—at a lower cost.
Their discovery has earned Phan and Wu accolades well beyond UT’s campus, including a top 20 placement at the national competition of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, an international competition for students aged 15-20 working to address water issues in innovative ways.
“Rickie and Dinh An worked very hard and very diligently. When you see the posters they created, you go, ‘Oh my gosh, those are high schoolers?’” Swift said. “We’re very proud of them for all the work they put into this.”
Bacteria and Biochar
Loeffler’s lab recently discovered that a bacterial species called Pseudomonas 273 can incorporate one type of PFAS into its cellular membrane, helping remove it from the environment.
That result, published in Nature Microbiology this March, inspired Phan and Wu. They hypothesized that combining Pseudomonas 273 with biochar (bio-derived porous charcoal), a common and inexpensive PFAS removal agent, would result in even better PFAS removal. The FHS students designed the study themselves, meeting with Loeffler frequently for advice.
Phan was surprised to learn how slow the experimental process is.
“From an outside perspective, you think science is go-go-go. You don’t understand how much wait time there is,” she said. “I was lucky enough to do experiments in the lab, and it showed me how much effort and thought goes in. Many of our experiments take two or three days.”
Swift and other members of the lab guided the students in using the advanced equipment needed to conduct the experiment and gather results—and, more importantly, they offered insights into the basic science behind the methods.
“A lot of the time you’re only seeing snippets (of scientific research) on the news; you aren’t seeing the full picture,” Swift said. “(Including high schoolers in research) gives them a broader perspective of what’s out there, how things can be applied to the real world, and where science can take them.”
Phan and Wu’s study revealed that combining Pseudomonas 273 and biochar removed about 65 percent more PFASs from the water than biochar alone. That means their innovative system could lower the cost of PFAS remediation by 40 percent.
“What’s really cool about our research is, it combines two different fields: materials science and microbiology,” said Wu. “My biggest takeaway is not to take a single-sided look when tackling large issues.”
National Champions of Water Science
With their results in hand, Phan and Wu were crowned Grand Reserve Champions at the Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair (SASEF), the premier science and engineering competition for middle and high school students in East Tennessee, this March. That regional win qualified them to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this year.
Phan and Wu also won the Tennessee state-level competition of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize before traveling to Chicago, Illinois, this June and placing in the top 20 nationwide. There, Phan and Wu were invited to enter their work in Bright StaRS, a competition for middle and high school students sponsored by the AGU Earth and space science professional organization.
In addition to presenting their own research, Phan and Wu have been delighted to learn about the work of other student groups and professional researchers presenting at the conferences.
“It’s surreal being able to learn from all these professionals and (to be) surrounded by all their knowledge and expertise,” Phan said. “It’s cool to be in the atmosphere of learning and introspection.”
As they prepare for the AGU Annual Meeting this December, Phan and Wu are also continuing to explore lab research, this time in separate labs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). They are both applying to colleges, where they hope to continue lab research.
Phan and Wu hope that their success encourages other high schoolers in Knoxville interested in lab work to reach out to UT.
“If you want to do hands-on work, this is a great place to be,” Wu said. “UT professors and researchers are so welcoming. I want to thank everyone at the Loeffler lab—they emphasized that getting a certain result was not as important as understanding the science and the instruments behind the research.”
Contact
Izzie Gall ([email protected])