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2003 Progress Report: Managing Soil and Water Contamination Using Innovative Predictive and Remediative Treatment Techniques (SIP)
EPA Grant Number: R829422E01Title: Managing Soil and Water Contamination Using Innovative Predictive and Remediative Treatment Techniques (SIP)
Investigators: Shea, Patrick J.
Institution: University of Nebraska at Lincoln
EPA Project Officer: Winner, Darrell
Project Period: August 5, 2002 through August 4, 2004 (Extended to August 4, 2005)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 5, 2002 through August 4, 2003
Project Amount: $17,400
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (2001)
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)
Description:
Objective:The objectives of this research project are to: (1) form a unique clustering of multidisciplinary expertise that will be strongly competitive for funding; (2) increase interactions between science and engineering; (3) increase the visibility and recognition of the University as an active contributor to the growing area of environmental remediation and restoration; (4) attract graduate and undergraduate students; and (5) promote technology transfer for environmentally responsible economic development in Nebraska and the region.
Progress Summary:Form a Unique Clustering of Multidisciplinary Expertise That Will Be Strongly Competitive for Funding. We have strengthened and expanded collaborations between University faculty in Natural Resources, Chemistry, Physics, and Civil Engineering. Several multidisciplinary research, education, and demonstration proposals were submitted during this period. We were successful in obtaining initial Nebraska Research Initiative funding for our proposal, "Building Surface Analysis into a New University Infrastructure in Environmental Science." Principal Investigators (PIs) include P.J. Shea (Natural Resources), M.A. Langell (Chemistry), P.D. Burrow (Physics), S.D. Comfort (Natural Resources), and T.C. Zhang (Civil Engineering). This research and education project includes U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-Environmental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Science and Engineering Environment Research (SEER) PIs, and expands our group to include a surface chemist, Dr. Langell.
Increase Interactions Between Science and Engineering. In addition to the collaborative research proposals listed above, a 3-day, on-campus visit and seminar by Dr. Yul Roh, Biogeochemist, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, provided expertise and research guidance to our students and faculty from science and engineering. Dr. Roh's seminar, "Environmental Mineralogy: Reactive Iron Barriers and Biomineralization," described how advances in environmental mineralogy expand its boundary as a multidisciplinary science and underscore its importance in understanding biogeochemical processes. In his presentation, Dr. Roh summarized recent studies on remediation of uranium- and perchloroethylene-contaminated groundwater using reactive zero valent iron barriers, and explained how biomineralization processes can be used in material synthesis and carbon sequestration, in addition to bioremediation.
Increase the Visibility and Recognition of the University as an Active Contributor to the Growing Area of Environmental Remediation and Restoration. Presentations given to the U.S. EPA/Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRC) and the University community have increased visibility and recognition of research and education in this program area.
Attract Graduate and Undergraduate Students.
Three Natural Resources Ph.D. students, one Civil Engineering Ph.D. student, one Environmental Toxicology M.S. student, and a Postdoctoral Research Associate and undergraduate student in Physics were supported or affiliated with this project during the reporting period. We received a number of inquiries from additional students interested in basic and applied aspects of environmental remediation and our growing program in environmental chemistry and toxicology at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL).
Promote Technology Transfer for Environmentally Responsible Economic Development in Nebraska and the Region. During the first year, technology transfer was accomplished through presentations (below and as listed in the SEER 2 report) and collaboration in a field demonstration project conducted in cooperation with a Nebraska consulting firm and a farm cooperative (described in the SEER 2 report).
Future Activities:The following activities will be performed:
1. Additional presentations will be given at scientific meetings in the second year of the project.
2. Our multidisciplinary research group is planning to submit a proposal to the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) in 2004.
3. A 2004 Department of Energy Laboratory Partnership Program proposal is planned for collaborative work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Dr. Yul Roh, the 2003 seminar speaker sponsored by our U.S. EPA-EPSCoR program).
4. We will work with UNL administration to develop a plan to strengthen the toxicology component of our research group so that we can be competitive for future funding through the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Basic Research Program;
5. A scientist with expertise in biotic detoxification mechanisms in soil and interest in our work with zerovalent iron is planning a sabbatical with our group beginning in 2004.
6. A Ph.D. student is expected to complete her program, and one or more new students will begin graduate study in the second year of the project.
7. In the second year, the Strategic Improvement Plan PI (and SEER 2 co-PI) will offer a new graduate course, “Readings in Environmental Remediation and Restoration,” a discussion of recent research in this field.
8. The SEER 1 co-PI will offer a new laboratory component with his soil environmental chemistry course in the 2004 spring semester.
9. Our group will host one or more seminar speakers at UNL during the second year of the project.
Journal Articles:No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 6 publications for this project
Supplemental Keywords:cleanup, restoration, environmental chemistry, physics, engineering, Northcentral United States, Nebraska, NE. , INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Geographic Area, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Remediation, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Contaminated Sediments, Ecology and Ecosystems, State, predictive understanding, reductive treatment, ecology assessment models, contaminated aquifers, contaminated sediment, remediation technologies, contaminated soil, hazardous waste, contaminated groundwater, groundwater remediation, sediment treatment, Nebraska (NE)
Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract
2004 Progress Report
Final Report