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Great Lakes/Mid Atlantic HSRC

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

The University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Howard University combined forces to pursue cooperative efforts in multi-disciplinary hazardous substance research. In 1989, the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic Center for Hazardous Substance Research (GLMAC) was formed to serve U.S. EPA Regions 3 and 5. It was established with matching-fund support provided by the State of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The Center's mission is to provide the philosophical framework, organizational structure, and resources required to support integrated and collaborative research designed to advance the science and technology of hazardous substance management and control. The Center promotes integrated efforts with focused objectives and encourages and facilitates participation by researchers from diverse disciplines and perspectives. Cooperative interactions with industry, government, other academic institutions, and the interested public are key elements of the Center's comprehensive program of research, education, community outreach, and technology transfer.

The Center's programs are designed in general to explore a research agenda of national significance, and specifically to serve the people, the industry, agencies, and other organizations in U.S. EPA's Federal Regions 3 and 5. Funded projects emphasize research on the development and pilot/field testing of in-situ biological remediation technologies for organic compounds, the contaminants commonly found in these heavily industrialized regions.

The Center pools the resources of more than 100 faculty and staff with expertise in hazardous substance control and environmental sciences and engineering. Dr. Walter J. Weber, Jr., Director of the Center, has primary responsibility for the Center's overall research objectives and program implementation. Dr. Thomas C. Voice, an Associate Director, coordinates research activities at Michigan State University and oversees two community outreach programs, the Technical Outreach Services to Communities (TOSC) program and the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) program as well as oversight of the training and technology transfer programs. Mr. Kirk Riley is coordinator of the TOSC program, and Ms. Lisa Szymecko coordinates the TAB program. Dr. James H. Johnson, Jr., Dean of the College of Engineering at Howard University is an Associate Director and has responsibility for coordinating research and outreach programs at Howard University. Mr. Nate Woodrick coordinates the TOSC element at Howard University.

Two advisory groups that include members from academia, government, and industry guide the activities of the Center. The members of the Science Advisory Committee and the Training and Technology Transfer Advisory Committee are identified elsewhere in this report. The Science Advisory Committee provides general policy guidance and specific technical assistance in the solicitation, selection, and review of research projects.

Since its establishment the Center has built exceptionally strong research, outreach, and technology transfer programs that address the regions' most pressing environmental concerns: pollution of soils, groundwaters and surface waters by potentially hazardous organic compounds. This research concentrates on improving the understanding of the fundamental scientific processes of both in-situ and ex-situ remediation technologies with a particular emphasis on in-situ biotechnologies.

The Center Directors have committed funding to move the research focus from the laboratory to pilot field studies. The most recent of these studies involves remediation of a contaminated site in Oscoda, Michigan by the use of two innovative technologies: halorespiration and surfactant enhanced aquifer remediation. This project is described in detail in the project description section.

Center Publications:

Views: All publications Selected publication types Journal articles Publications submitted after final report

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Main Center Abstract:

HSRC (1989) - Great Lakes/Mid-Atlantic HSRC

Center Research Projects:

R825540C001 - Development and Verification of A Molecular Modeling Approach for Predicting the Sequestration and Bioavailability/Biotoxicity Reduction of Organic Contaminants by Soils and Sediments

R825540C002 - Molecular Modeling of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants Uptake and Sequestration by Soil Organic Matter

R825540C003 - The Use of Microfiltration and Ultrafiltration Membranes for the Separation, Recovery, and Reuse of Surfactant/Contaminant Solutions

R825540C004 - A Contained Simulation of Field Application of Genetically Engineered Microorganisms (Gems) for the Bioremediation of PCB Contaminated Soils

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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