LSU ChE Professor McPeak Receives $2.2M Award from DOE
September 22, 2026
LSU Chemical Engineering Associate Professor Kevin McPeak
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) recently awarded $117 million to 56 projects that will strengthen the competitiveness of key American industries through energy and cost-saving innovations.
One of these projects is led by LSU Chemical Engineering Associate Professor Kevin McPeak who received $2,237,383 to research the elimination of unwanted by products in wastewater treatment.
“This project identifies a significant issue in wastewater treatment processes—the interaction of chlorine compounds (widely used for disinfection) with wastewater residuals creating toxic disinfection byproducts,” McPeak said.
McPeak plans to use an innovative catalyst that replaces chlorine additives while still meeting disinfection standards to avoid producing toxic byproducts. This new process will save electricity and costs for wastewater treatment plants and ratepayers.
McPeak is working with South Baton Rouge Wastewater Treatment Plant and Kingdom Technology Services on the project.
Like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X.