This action approves an award in the amount of $1,000,000 to auburn university, alabama, to support their efforts with improving the water quality of the gulf of america

Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 awarded Auburn University $1 million on July 1, 2026, to conduct a demonstration project reducing nutrient loads and mitigating harmful algal bloom formation in Gulf of America water systems under the Geographic Programs - Gulf of America Program (CFDA 66.475).

Auburn will develop selective adsorbents using polymeric sheets impregnated with metal oxide nanoparticles to recover ammonia and phosphate from stormwater runoff and agricultural drainage. The university will systematically vary mineral forms of nanoparticles to optimize adsorption capacity, selectivity, and regeneration efficiency, enabling use of recovered nutrients as value-added fertilizer products. Field demonstrations will be established at real runoff sites within the Gulf of America watershed to evaluate material performance, durability, and reusability across multiple treatment cycles under operational conditions. The project targets development of materials capable of capturing more than 90 percent of nutrients from agricultural discharges and stormwater runoff.

A sub-recipient will conduct cost assessment of fabricated materials, assist with overall research efforts, advise graduate students, and develop project reports.

Period of performance runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. Place of performance is Alabama.

The purpose of this award is to conduct a demonstration project that will reduce nutrient loads and thereby mitigate harmful algal bloom formation in water systems by recovering both ammonia and phosphate from stormwater runoff and agricultural drainage. Activities:the activities to be performed include developing selective adsorbents using polymeric sheets for nutrient recovery from water, enabling their use as value-added products in the form of fertilizers. These polymeric sheets will be impregnated with metal oxide nanoparticles, systematically varying the mineral form of the nanoparticles to optimize adsorption capacity, selectivity, and regeneration efficiency. To bridge laboratory innovation with real-world application, demonstrations will be established at real runoff sites (stormwater and agricultural drainage) situated within the gulf of america. This deployment will enable long-term evaluation of the material's performance and durability under field conditions, and reusability across multiple treatment cycles. Subrecipient:subrecipient activities include conducting a cost assessment of fabricated materials, assisting with overall research efforts, advising graduate students, and developing project reports.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables and expected outcomes are the successful development of novel adsorbents for ammonium and phosphate recovery and the deployment of these materials at significantly polluted areas of the gulf of america watershed thereby reducing excessive nutrient loads into the aquatic systems. Through continuous laboratory optimization and field testing, materials will be developed capable of capturing more than 90% of nutrients from agricultural discharges and stormwater runoff. Dissemination of knowledge from the project at international and national conferences will facilitate broad implementation of the technology to mitigate effects of nutrient runoffs. The results from the project will be published in high-impact, peer reviewed journals that encompass broad audiences in environmental chemistry, environmental engineering, water quality, and material science. As the intended beneficiaries, the residents, communities, and farmers located in alabama will benefit from improved water quality.