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My research is focused on the fate of anthropogenic chemicals in natural and engineered systems. Most of my efforts are focused on identifying important transformation processes, understanding detailed reaction mechanisms, and determining reaction rates. My goals are to be able to predict contaminant fate in natural aquatic systems and to design remediation technologies to treat contaminated waters. Current efforts include studying the photochemical fate of pharmaceuticals and pesticides, studying reactions that occur at mineral surfaces, remediation techniques for fluorochemicals, detection of micropollutants in aquatic systems, assessment of disinfection byproduct precursors, and developing treatment systems for resource recovery.

Prof. Arnold is also part of the leadership team of the NSF funded Circularity Impact Program (https://circularity.umn.edu/) focused on finding sustainable solutions for water, material, and energy needs of society.

Arnold's Research Group

Visit Arnold, William's Experts@Minnesota profile page

Education

B.S., 1994, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering

M.S., 1995, Yale University, Chemical Engineering

Ph.D., 1999, The Johns Hopkins University, Environmental Engineering

Professional Background

• William R. Kenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching, Princeton University, 2023-2024
• Visiting Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2013-2014
• Visiting Researcher, Eawag, The Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, 2006-2007
• Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2005-2010
• Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1999-2005

Honors and Awards

CSE George W. Taylor Award for Distinguished Service 2024

Elected as AEESP Fellow 2024

Honorable Mention, AEESP Jacobs Engineering Group Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation (Advisor) 2024

MFESTS/ASCE MN Charles W. Britzius Distinguished Engineer Award 2023

Top 10 Exceptional Paper of 2021, Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 

AEESP Master's Thesis Award (Advisor): 2003, 2010, 2013, 2019, 2021

Books

Brezonik, P.L.; Arnold, W.A. 2022. Water Chemistry: The Chemical Processes and Composition of Natural and Engineered Aquatic Systems, 2^nd edition, Oxford University Press. 976pp.

Brezonik, P.L.; Arnold, W.A. 2011. Water Chemistry: An Introduction to the Chemistry of Natural and Engineered Systems, Oxford University Press. 808 pp.

Selected Publications

View Arnold's full publication list on Google Scholar.

Bhat, A.P., Pomerantz, W.C.K., Arnold, W.A. 2024. Fluorinated pharmaceutical and pesticide photolysis: Investigating reactivity and identifying fluorinated products by combining computational chemistry, 19F-NMR, and mass spectrometry. Environ. Sci. Technol. 58, 3437-3448.

Soroush, A. , Harris, C. , Hildebrandt, A., Cruz-Reyes, M., Penn, R.L, Arnold, W.A. 2024. Interactions of goethite and natural organic matter: Fractionation and impact on contaminant reduction. ACS Earth and Space Chem 8, 393-404.

Li, J., Arnold, W.A., Hozalski, R.M. 2024. Animal feedlots and domsetic wastewater discharges are likely sources of N-ntrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors in midwestern watersheds. Environ. Sci. Technol. 58, 2973-2983.

Mundhenke, T.F., Bhat, A.P., Pomerantz, W.C.K., Arnold, W.A. 2024. Photolysis Products of Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals: A Combined 19F-NMR and Mass Spectrometry Approach. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. Accepted.

Mahony, A.K., McNamara, P.M., Arnold, W.A. 2023. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in wastewater influent and effluent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Environ. Sci. Technol. 57, 20148-20158. 

Berg, S.M., Hozalski, R.M., Kuo-Dahab, C., Chen, C., Elliott, T.J., Goedjen, G.J., He, H., Noe, E.R., Scharf, R.G., Arnold, W.A. 2023. Contaminant removal in a pilot drinking water treatment plant by pre-oxidation followed by biological activated carbon filtration: Spiking versus ambient studies. ACS ES&T Water, 3, 2966-2977.

Arnold, W.A., Blum, A., Branyan, J., Bruton, T.A., Carnignan, C.C., Corotopassi, G., Datta, S., DeWitt, J., Doherty, A.-C., Halden, R.U., Harari, H., Hartmann, E.M., Hrubec, T.C., Iyer, S., Kwiatowski, C.F., LaPeir, J., Li, D., Li, L., Muniz Ortiz, J.G., Salamova, A., Schettler, T., Segun, R.P., Soehl, A., Sutton, R., Xu, L., Zheng, G. 2023. . Quaternary ammonium compounds: A chemical class of emerging concern, , Environ. Sci. Technol., 57, 7645-7665. 

Bhat, A.P., Pomerantz, W.C.K., Arnold, W.A. 2023. Wavelength-dependent UV-LED photolysis of fluorinated pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Environ. Sci. Technol., 57, 5327-5336.

He, H.; Bueno, I.; Kim, T. Wammer, K.H.; LaPara, T.M.; Singer, R.; Beaudoin, A.; Arnold, W A. 2023. Determination of the antibiotic and antibiotic-resistance footprint in surface water environments of a metropolitan area: Effects of anthropogenic activities. ACS ES&T Water, 3, 387-399.