Developing Sustainable Water Treatments and Environmental Remediation Technologies - Loyola Marymount University NewsroomHome » Campus News » ...
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network
Home » Campus News » Developing Sustainable Water Treatments and Environmental Remediation Technologies
Developing Sustainable Water Treatments and Environmental Remediation Technologies
January 6, 2025
Professor Jin Yong Choi works in chemistry lab with students.
Professor Jin Yong Choi's research interests include the development of sustainable water treatment, desalination methods within the field of agriculture, and environmental remediation technologies.
Jin Yong Choi, Loyola Marymount University assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, has clear memories from his youth of the water quality difference between natural creeks and the affected rivers running adjacent to industrial and manufacturing sites in his native Korea. “My father is a material engineer and my inspiration for becoming an environmental engineer,” said Choi. “An insightful man, he started teaching me at a young age about the importance of sustainability and caring for the environment.”
Portrait image of Prof. Jin Yong Choi.
Much of Choi’s research focuses on water as a resource.
Choi’s father facilitated hands-on educational experiences combined with everyday activities they enjoyed. “When I was a child, my father and I regularly traveled to the mountains to hike and experience nature. Together, we would organically construct environmental systems in the creeks, such as channeling a side stream with a water wheel I made from chopsticks that led to a small storage basin with natural sand-filtered water which was relatively clean for the animals and birds to drink,” said Choi. “These types of experiments came naturally to me.”
Today, Choi’s research is still focused on a most valuable natural resource – water. His interests include the development of sustainable water treatment, desalination methods within the field of agriculture, and environmental remediation technologies, as well as implementation of these innovative technologies for real-world application. “The ultimate goal of my research is to contribute to society, underserved communities, and the nation’s clean energy objectives by addressing water stress and energy transition challenges under global climate change,” Choi said.
Professor and student looking at test tube.
Choi is also interested in resource recovery through the water treatment process.
His research outcomes are focused on beneficial water reuse and resource recovery. During water treatment methods, he is looking for not only production of clean water, but also promoting water reuse targeted at different end users such as within agriculture, mining, and oil/gas industries. Treating waste water can also include resource recovery of heavy metals, and critical minerals which are essential resources for the transition to renewable energy and can be used in batteries, solar cells, and wind turbine components. Waste water streams can contain lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements that are essential for batteries, magnets, and other energy storage technologies.
Attached link
https://newsroom.lmu.edu/campusnews/developing-sustainable-water-treatments-and-environmental-remediation-technologiesTaxonomy
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Sustainable Economy