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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

Top 10 Exceptional Paper of 2021, Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry  

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

AEESP Outstanding Publication Award: 2018

Top Paper 2015 from Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology: 2016

Arcadis/AEESP Frontier in Research Award: 2012 

Super Reviewer Award,  Environmental Science and Technology:   2013

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

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.

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. 

Bhat, A.P., Pomerantz, W.C.K., Arnold, W.A. 2022 Finding Fluorine: Photoproduct Formation during the Photolysis of Fluorinated Pesticides. Environ. Sci. Technol. 56, 12336-12346.

Bhat, A.P., Mundhenke, T.F., Whiting, Q.T., Peterson, A.A., Pomerantz, W.C.K. Arnold, W.A. 2022. Tracking Fluorine during Aqueous Photolysis and Advanced UV Treatment of Fluorinated Phenols and Pharmaceuticals Using a Combined ¹⁹F-NMR, Chromatography, and Mass Spectrometry Approach. ACS Environmental Au, accepted.   https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenvironau.1c00057 Open Access.

Soroush, A., R.L. Penn, Arnold, W.A. 2022. Anisotropic Oxidative Growth Of Goethite-Coated Sand Particles In Column Reactors During 4-Chloronitrobenzene Reduction by Fe(II)/Goethite. Envrion. Sci.: Nano, 9, 275-288.   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1EN00788B Open Access

Tong, Y., Berens, M.J., Ulrich, B.A., Bolotin, J., Strehlau, J.H., Hofstetter, T.B., Arnold, W.A. 2021. Exploring the utility of compound-specific isotope analysis for assessing ferrous iron-mediated reduction of RDX in the subsurface. Environ. Sci. Technol. 55(10), 6752-6763. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08420

Berens, M.J., Capel, P.D., Arnold, W.A. 2021. Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Surface Water, Groundwater, and Wastewater across Land Use Gradients and Potential Effects. Environ. Tox. Chem. 40(4) 1017-1033. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4959 Open Access.

 Bueno, I., Beaudoin, A., Arnold, W.A., Kim, T., Frankson, L.E., LaPara, T.M., Kanankege, K., Wammer, K.H., Singer, R.S. 2021. Quantifying and predicting antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes in waterbodies through a multidisciplinary/holistic approach: A study in Minnesota, United States. Scientific Reports, 11 (1), 1-15. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-98300-5  Open access

Berens, M. J., Hofstetter, T. B., Bolotin, J., Arnold, W. A. 2020. Assessment of 2,4-Dinitroanisole Transformation Using Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis after in Situ Chemical Reduction of Iron Oxides. Environmental Science and Technology 54(9), 5520-5531. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07616

Pati, S. G., Arnold, W. A. 2020. Comprehensive screening of quaternary ammonium surfactants and ionic liquids in wastewater effluents and lake sediments. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts. 22(2), 430-441. doi: 10.1039/c9em00554d

View Arnold's full publication list on Google Scholar.