Vasiliki Karanikola

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Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Yavuz, A. B., Karanikola, V., García-Payo, M., Khayet, M., Hilal, N., Ismail, A. F., Khayet, M., & Johnson, D. (2021). 9 - Osmotic distillation and osmotic membrane distillation for the treatment of different feed solutions. In 9 - Osmotic distillation and osmotic membrane distillation for the treatment of different feed solutions(pp 245-278). Elsevier.

Journals/Publications

• Dunmyer, M., Welchert, J., Bellido-Aguilar, D., Brusseau, M., Savagatrup, S., & Karanikola, V. (2024). Molecular scale adsorption behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on model surfaces. Chemical Engineering Journal, 497. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2024.154286
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  Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants of concern owing to their longevity, toxicity, mobility, and bioaccumulation. Alternative products, and chemistries, have failed to replace PFAS due to its unparalleled surfactant properties. Thus, research efforts must shift the focus onto remediation methods and mitigation strategies for PFAS removal. This study aimed to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of four prevalent PFAS molecules through an integrated approach using a quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and organosilane-functionalized surfaces. Nonpolar-hydrophobic and polar-hydrophilic interfaces formed the basis of the study for surface functionality. QCM-D adsorption experiments were conducted to measure the accumulation profile of each PFAS, determine the interfacial properties and kinetic parameters, and probe its molecular behavior at each proposed interface. While each model surface showed promising results for PFAS adsorption, the mechanisms each surface induced varied. Hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions played the most prominent role in PFAS adsorption. However, electrostatic interactions were highly dependent on charge distribution and molecular size, whereas hydrophobic interactions proved to be less selective and only a function of chain length. A quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) analysis was implemented to establish a correlation between adsorption rate, molecular composition, and interfacial physicochemical properties. Molar volume-based QSPR models successfully represented measured behavior for the nonpolar-hydrophobic interfaces, while electrostatic potential-based models could provide robust predictions of PFAS adsorption for both nonpolar-hydrophobic and polar-hydrophilic interfaces. The latter high performance was due to the descriptor being associated with both constituents of the molecule.
• Morgan, M., Webster, A., Padowski, J., Morrison, R., Flint, C., Simmons-Potter, K., Chief, K., Litson, B., Neztsosie, B., Karanikola, V., Kacira, M., Rushforth, R., Boll, J., & Stone, M. (2024). Guided transformations for communities facing social and ecological change. Ecology and Society, 29(4). doi:10.5751/ES-15448-290420
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  Communities and their surrounding landscapes are intricately interconnected. This is evident in the Intermountain West of the United States of America, where large cities sit within vast landscapes otherwise containing small rural communities with farm, forest, and rangeland. Climate change and other stresses increase the tensions along the gradient of urban to rural communities and landscapes, and theoretical frameworks are needed to conceptualize regime shifts within these social-ecological systems. We propose a framework called Guided Transformation (GT) that translates new knowledge into action by incorporating diverse perspectives and values that prioritize community and environmental well-being. Guided Transformation combines elements from social, ecological, and technological systems (SETS) theory, resilience theory, and sustainability transitions research. In this manuscript, we outline the GT framework and its relationship to related theory and literature, and we then provide three case studies that demonstrate the application of the GT framework. The first case study is in the upper Rio Grande watershed in New Mexico, where innovative governance strategies are addressing the challenge of wildfire and watershed protection. The second is in eastern Washington and the Yakima Basin, where drought drove innovation in the form of an integrated water management plan that is now helping to meet the needs of both farmers and fish in the basin. In the final case study, we discuss work on the Navajo Nation addressing food, energy, and water security and Indigenous sovereignty through solar greenhouse technology.
• Yazzie, C., Elias, C., & Karanikola, V. (2024). Uranium rejection with nanofiltration membranes and the influence of environmentally relevant mono- and divalent cations at various pH. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, 10(9). doi:10.1039/d4ew00324a
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  Nanofiltration (NF) can be used as a low-energy pressure-driven membrane treatment process with potential applications in mitigating uranium contamination from groundwater. Uranium can interact with groundwater minerals which can influence NF uranium rejection. This study used two commercially available membranes (NF90 and NF270) to remove uranyl complexes in the presence of environmentally relevant cations (Na+, Mg2+, and Ca2+). The analysis includes extensive membrane characterization, calculating NF treatment performance, investigating uranium adsorption to the functionalized polyamide top layer of the membrane, and determining membrane selectivity. Under batch experiments, using environmentally relevant ion concentrations, we measured uranium rejection rates for the NF90 between 58-99% and NF270 between 4-98%. The mechanisms of low uranium rejection are not only explained by steric hindrance but also by the reduction of the Donnan exclusion mechanism, which originates from the decrease in membrane charge density caused by the addition of mono- and divalent ions. Additionally, exclusion mechanisms were observed to be directly influenced by solution pH, which governs the variation in uranyl complexation type and membrane charge. Calcium has a complexation affinity to uranium with broad implications in uranyl-complex molecular weight, valance, and molecular shape, all of which can influence water treatment efficiency. Lastly, both membranes were evaluated based on their membrane selectivity, the ratio of cation fluxes to uranium(vi) ion flux. Ideal membrane selectivity occurred at pH 7. Na+ to uranium(vi) ion ratio was 190 for NF90 and 100 for NF270. The results of this study advance the understanding of using NF membranes for groundwater uranium removal.
• Durkin, T. J., Barua, B., Holmstrom, J. J., Karanikola, V., & Savagatrup, S. (2023).

  Functionalized Amphiphilic Block Copolymers and Complex Emulsions for Selective Sensing of Dissolved Metals at Liquid–Liquid Interfaces

  . Langmuir, 39(36), 12845-12854. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01761
• Jiang, H., Straub, A. P., & Karanikola, V. (2022). Ammonia Recovery with Sweeping Gas Membrane Distillation: Energy and Removal Efficiency Analysis. ACS ES&T Engineering.
• Borovik, A., Karanikola, V., & Zucker, I. (2020). Platform selection of engineered nanomaterials for water decontamination applications. Environ. Sci.: Nano, 7, 3641-3654.
• Shaulsky, E., Wang, Z., Deshmukh, A., Karanikola, V., & Elimelech, M. (2020). Membrane distillation assisted by heat pump for improved desalination energy efficiency. Desalination, 496, 114694.
• Dizge, N., Shaulsky, E., & Karanikola, V. (2019). Electrospun cellulose nanofibers for superhydrophobic and oleophobic membranes. JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE, 590.
• Karanikola, V., Moore, S. E., Deshmukh, A., Arnold, R. G., Elimelech, M., & Sáez, A. E. (2019). Economic performance of membrane distillation configurations in optimal solar thermal desalination systems. Desalination, 472, 114164.
• Shaulsky, E., Karanikola, V., Straub, A. P., Deshmukh, A., Zucker, I., & Elimelech, M. (2019). Asymmetric membranes for membrane distillation and thermo-osmotic energy conversion. DESALINATION, 452, 141-148.
• Deshmukh, A., Boo, C., Karanikola, V., Lin, S., Straub, A. P., Tong, T., Warsinger, D. M., & Elimelech, M. (2018). Membrane distillation at the water-energy nexus: limits, opportunities, and challenges. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, 11(5), 1177-1196.
• Karanikola, V., Boo, C., Rolf, J., & Elimelech, M. (2018). Engineered Slippery Surface to Mitigate Gypsum Scaling in Membrane Distillation for Treatment of Hypersaline Industrial Wastewaters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 52(24), 14362-14370.
• Li, M., Karanikola, V., Zhang, X., Wang, L., & Elimelech, M. (2018). A Self-Standing, Support-Free Membrane for Forward Osmosis with No Internal Concentration Polarization. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, 5(5), 266-271.
• Moore, S. E., Ma, L., Potzler, M., Bish, J., Karanikola, V., Prevatt, J., Arnold, R. G., & Saez, A. E. (2018). Sustainable Struvite Control Using Carbon Dioxide. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, 144(12).
• Moore, S. E., Mirchandani, S. D., Karanikola, V., Nenoff, T. M., Arnold, R. G., & Saez, A. E. (2018). Process modeling for economic optimization of a solar driven sweeping gas membrane distillation desalination system. DESALINATION, 437, 108-120.
• Moore, S., Mirchandani, S., Karanikola, V., Nenoff, T., Arnold, R., & Saez, A. (2018). Process modeling and economic optimization of a solar driven membrane distillation system for desalination. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 255.
• Snyder, K. A., Corral, A. F., Woods, G. J., Prichard, A., Montgomery, M., & Karanikola, V. (2018).

  Challenges and lessons learnt from a sanitation project in rural Bolivia

  . Development in Practice, 28(7), 911-921. doi:10.1080/09614524.2018.1481198
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  The University of Arizona chapter of Engineers Without Borders USA has faced multiple challenges involving community participation in rural development, in the Andean community of Marquirivi, Boliv...
• Karanikola, V., Corral, A. F., Jiang, H., Saez, A. E., Ela, W. P., & Arnold, R. G. (2017). Effects of membrane structure and operational variables on membrane distillation performance. JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE, 524, 87-96.
• Moores, S., Ma, L., Karanikola, V., Arnold, R., Saez, A., Moulis, D., Bish, J., & Prevatt, J. (2017). Sustainable struvite control and recovery in wastewater treatment plants using residual biogas. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 253.
• Karanikola, V., Corral, A. F., Jiang, H., Saez, A. E., Ela, W. P., & Arnold, R. G. (2015). Sweeping gas membrane distillation: Numerical simulation of mass and heat transfer in a hollow fiber membrane module. JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE, 483, 15-24.
• Karanikola, V., Ngo, A. T., & Valdes, J. R. (2011). Plankton filtration with compressible crumb rubber packs. CHEMOSPHERE, 82(4), 597-602.