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| Fiscal Year 2009 |
| Fiscal Year 2008 |
| Fiscal Year 2007 |
| Fiscal Year 2006 |
To view faculty research from the most recent fiscal year, visit our Recent Research page.
To view all previously funded research, please visit our Annual Report Archive.
Fiscal Year 2009
Antibiotic pollution of aquatic habitats and impact on the development of environmental pools of resistance in natural microbial communities
Assistant Professor Elisabetta Bini
Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
This project aims to study the effects of wastewater treatment plant (WTP) effluents on the composition and resistance of microbial communities in surface waters and sediments. The hypothesis being tested is that antibiotics contribute to the emergence of infectious diseases by affecting the development of reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes within natural microbial communities. Affected environments are expected to be those exposed to detectable concentrations of antibiotics, such as in the immediate surroundings of wastewater treatment plants. To prove a correlation between antibacterial agents’ pollution and development of resistance in natural ecosystems, the following aims were pursued:
Aim #1. Determination of antibiotics in wastewater effluents and sediments.
Aim #2. Testing cultured isolates for antibiotic resistance.
Aim #3. Community structure and metagenomic analysis of antibiotic resistance determinants.
Results of this research suggest that resistance to specific antibiotics might be due to the lateral transfer of resistance genes from wastewater effluents to freshwater bacteria.
Contact Information:
Assistant Professor Elisabetta Bini
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9763 x122
E-mail: bini@aesop.rutgers.edu
Development of a profile SOD measurement technique
Robert Miskewitz, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Sediment oxygen demand (SOD) is the sum of the dissolved oxygen removed from the water column by the respiration of organisms living in the sediment and the oxidation of reduced chemicals found in the sediment. The SOD in a stream can vary based on sediment age, surface area, depth of deposits, temperature, and chemical and biological characteristics. SOD is often considered an indicator of the health of the system because sediment populations remain relatively stable while the overlying water can be transient.
The most common method of SOD measurement involves enclosing a known volume of water in a chamber over a known area of the riverbed surface, then measuring the change in dissolved oxygen concentration over a period of time. However, one of the most important environmental factors that will affect the SOD is the flow rate of water over the sediment/water interface, which cannot be simulated in an SOD chamber.
The SOD measurement methodology tested in this study is based upon a characterization of the flow in the near sediment boundary layer and the transport of dissolved oxygen down a concentration gradient. The main advantage that it has over chamber methods is the ability to measure the SOD flux as a function of the flow. In addition, the measurement time is reduced from two hours to ten minutes. To test this methodology, side by side comparison of the chamber and profile methods were conducted.
Contact Information:
Robert Miskewitz, Ph.D.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 x6126
E-mail: rmiskewitz@aesop.rutgers.edu
A modified photosynthesis process for water purification
Assistant Professor Shaurya Prakash
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
The goal of this research effort was to determine and improve the efficacy of using chlorophyll, the most abundant natural pigment, as the next generation photocatalyst for water decontamination. An experimental approach was to be used to identify critical parameters required for optimization of chlorophyll use. Furthermore, a model nanofluidic device was to be built to overcome challenges related to short lifetime and subsequent diffusion length of singlet oxygen. The project was terminated early (three months after the start date) due to the PI moving from Rutgers University to The Ohio State University.
Fiscal Year 2008
Volatilization of PCBs from the Tappan Zee region of the Hudson River
Associate Professor Lisa A. Rodenburg and Robert Miskewitz, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
In this research, the micrometeorological technique was applied for the first time to
investigate the air-water exchange fluxes of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). A field
campaign was conducted in July of 2008 in the Tappan Zee region of the Hudson River. This
section of the River is known to be heavily contaminated with PCBs, leading to large
volatilization fluxes. By measuring the concentrations of PCBs at two heights above the water
surface as well as in the dissolved phase, fluxes and air/water exchange mass transfer
coefficients (vaw) were determined for individual PCB congeners. The average gas–phase ΣPCB
concentration was 0.7 ng m-3, elevated over regional background by about a factor of 2.
Dissolved-phase PCB concentrations ranged from 2 to 14 ng L-1, in good agreement with the
measurements of others. In 14 of 16 sampling events, PCB concentrations were higher in the
lower air sample, indicating positive fluxes (net volatilization) of PCBs from the water column.
Vertical ΣPCB fluxes ranged from 0.2 to 12 μg m-2 d-1 and were highest on July 10th. Values of vaw ranged from 0.05 to 2.27 m d-1. The relationships between vaw for PCB congeners and various
meteorological variables such as wind speed and air temperature were investigated. vaw and
sensible heat flux were inversely correlated, while vaw was mostly positively correlated with
latent heat flux. Both wind speed and friction velocity (u*) displayed positive relationships with vaw. In addition, temperature usually displayed a positive correlation with vaw. Correlations
between vaw and Henry’s law constants for individual PCB congeners were found to be not
significant, in agreement with theoretical predictions.
Figure 1. The air sampling and micrometeorology equipment set up on the south end of the Piermont fishing pier.
Contact Information:
Associate Professor Lisa Rodenburg
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 x6218
E-mail: rodenburg@envsci.rutgers.edu
Robert Miskewitz, Ph.D.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 x6126
E-mail: rmiskewitz@aesop.rutgers.edu
Identifying the source of excess fine-grained sediments in New Jersey rivers using radionuclides
Assistant Professor Joshua Galster1 and Kirk Barrett, Ph.D.2
1Department of Earth and Environmental Studies
2Passaic River Institute
Montclair State University
Sediment is well known to be an important aquatic pollutant in New Jersey
and elsewhere. Sedimentation was listed as the number one cause of river and stream
impairment in the USEPA’s most recent “National Water Quality Inventory”
(USEPA, 2007). In New Jersey, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
(NJDEP) has identified nearly 50 “assessment units” (mostly equivalent to
HUC14s) that are impaired by excessive suspended sediment concentrations,
encompassing 370 square miles and over 700 stream miles (NJDEP, 2006). Our objective is to assess how successful an established analytical method is
at identifying the source of the fine-grained sediment within streams in New
Jersey. Using radionuclides to “fingerprint” sediment coming from different subwatersheds
and from channel bank vs. surficial soil erosion within a drainage
basin is an established technique, and has been used in a variety of geologic
settings and in watersheds of various size (see page 73 of the FY2008 Annual Report for citations). We propose to
use the technique to distinguish between landscape and channel bank erosion in
two New Jersey watersheds with different land uses, and to eventually influence
land management practices (e.g., BMPs). Our hypothesis is that the fine-grained
sediment in urban/suburban fluvial systems originates mostly from stream bank
material produced from channel-widening erosion and will show relatively lower
radionuclide activities, whereas, in areas with significant row-crop agriculture,
substantial sediment originates from the landscape and will show relatively higher
activities.
References:
1. NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection). 2006. New
Jersey Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report. New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection, Water Monitoring and Standards,
Trenton, NJ, 590 pp.
2. USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). 2007. National Water
Quality Inventory: Report to Congress, 2002 Reporting Cycle. United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA 841-R-07-001,
Washington, DC.
Contact Information:
Assistant Professor Joshua Galster
Montclair State University
Telephone: (973) 655-4123
E-mail: galsterj@mail.montclair.edu
Kirk Barrett, Ph.D.
Passaic River Institute
Telephone: (973) 655-7117
E-mail: kirk.barrett@montclair.edu
Fiscal Year 2007
A Quantitative Approach to Linking Temporal Variations of Groundwater Level with Nitrogen Cycling in New Jersey Wetlands
Associate Professor Daniel Giménez1 and Professor Joan Ehrenfeld2
1Department of Environmental Sciences
2Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Wetlands are considered one of the most valuable terrestrial ecosystems because of their multiple functions, including as regulators of biogeochemical cycles. Previous research has demonstrated that New Jersey wetlands located in developed areas experience rapid and frequent wet/dry periods. At the core of this proposal is the hypothesis that data analysis techniques in combination with site-related information can separate and identify the factors determining the dynamics of groundwater fluctuation at a site. Furthermore, we hypothesized that these factors interact with spatial variation in soil properties to determine N cycling in wetland soils. Specific hypotheses of the research are: 1) wavelet and multifractal analyses of wetland hydrographs can provide statistical descriptions of flashy signals, and identify short- and long-frequency components of water table dynamics, and 2) temporal patterns of nitrification and denitrification (“hot moments”) are better explained by the hydrological patterns elucidated and quantified in objective 1 than they are by spatial variability in soil properties alone.
Our goal is to apply multifractal and wavelets analyses to an existing database of long hydrograph records from wetlands in New Jersey, and carry out new analyses of soil conditions and N cycling in two sites selected on the basis of the hydrograph analyses. This is considered a pilot study to demonstrate the feasibility and environmental significance of the method, and as a basis for proposals for more comprehensive examination of these objectives.
Contact information:
Associate Professor Daniel Giménez
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 X6205
Email: gimenez@envsci.rutgers.edu
Professor Joan Ehrenfeld
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Biogeochemistry of Pb transformations mediated by phosphate-releasing bacteria
Associate Professor Nathan Yee
Department of Environmental Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal found in many contaminated sites in New Jersey. The subsurface transport of Pb in groundwater is strongly affected by its chemical speciation. In order to accurately predict the fate and transport of Pb in contaminated aquifers, a detailed understanding of the biogeochemical processes that affect Pb transformations in soils and sediments is required.
A common Pb mineral found in Pb contaminated soils is cerussite (PbCO3). Recently, we have isolated a bacterium from a contaminated soil in New Jersey that appears to transform cerussite into highly insoluble Pb-phosphate minerals. The mechanisms controlling this mineral transformation process are currently unknown. In this study, we employed X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy to examine the biotic/abiotic transformation of PbCO3 into insoluble Pb-phosphate minerals. The objective of this study was to resolve microbial and chemical contributions involved in the Pb mineral transformation process.
The principal findings are: 1. preliminary results suggest that cerussite undergoes solid-phase transformation during incubation with GP-19S, and 2. control experiments show that abiotic reactions can also induce cerussite transformation.
Contact Information:
Associate Professor Nathan Yee
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 x6221
Email: nyee@envsci.rutgers.edu
Female Hormones in Surface Water of Central/Northern New Jersey: Impacts of Combined Sewer Overflows vs. Treated Wastewater Discharge
Associate Professor Weilin Huang with Professor Peter Strom
Department of Environmental Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
We proposed to detect and quantify female hormones ― a major class of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) ― in the surface water of Central/Northern New Jersey. This study is especially important for densely populated Central/Northern New Jersey where treated wastewater (TWW) is a major component of surface water and combined sewer overflows (CSO) have caused substantial problems in several watersheds. Low but constant contamination with female hormones in surface water may adversely affect the reproductive behavior of animals such as fish, posing large ecological risks. Our study would provide data on the level and the source (TWW vs. CSO) of female hormone contamination in the watersheds of Central/Northern New Jersey. It could help determine whether future effort is needed, and which source ― TWW or CSO ― we should pay most attention to for reducing the ecological impact of the female hormones in these watersheds.
The specific objectives of this study are to:
1) collect water and colloid samples from two watersheds of North/Central New Jersey during and after major storms;
2) analyze the female hormones in the samples following published laboratory procedures and with liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS);
3) quantify the loading of the hormones from different sources to the studied watersheds.
We have completed the analytical method development and the results showed that three estrogen compounds can be separated and quantified with both LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. After validating the two methods with field samples, we will conduct systematic water sampling and analyze the chemicals with either or both methods.
Contact information:
Associate Professor Weilin Huang
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 X6206
Email: whuang@envsci.rutgers-edu
Professor Peter Strom
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 X6216
Email: strom@envsci.rutgers.edu
Integrated Assessment of Economic and Water Quality Impacts of Agricultural Best Management Practices in Upper Cohansey River Watershed
Associate Professor Zeyuan Qiu 1 with Associate Professor Christopher Obropta 2
1Dept. of Chemistry and Environmental Science
New Jersey Institute of Technology
2Dept. of Environmental Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
The goal of this research is to provide a science-based information analysis to policy makers who want to maximize water quality benefits while minimizing economic costs when implementing multiple conservation practices in a watershed. The supporting objectives are (1) to estimate the economic and water quality impacts of various agricultural best management practices (BMPs) being implemented in the Neshanic River watershed. The working hypothesis of this objective is that there is a poor understanding of the costs and water quality benefits of BMPs being implemented; and a detailed information on costs and benefits of BMPs is essential to understand the linkages between BMPs and water quality effects in a watershed scale; and (2) to
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Figure 1. Derived hydrologically sensitive areas and critical source areas in the Neshanic River Watershed. |
evaluate the potential of controlling agricultural pollution to achieving locally defined water quality goals through optimal placement of BMPs in the watershed by integrating the results of the estimated costs and water quality benefits in the first objective with an optimization programming model. The working hypothesis of the objective is that spatial variability of natural resource conditions in a watershed has profound impacts on the water quality of conservation practices at the watershed scale.
Contact Information:
Associate Professor Zeyuan Qiu
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Telephone: (973) 596-5357
Email: qiuz@njit.edu
Associate Professor Christopher Obropta
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Telephone: (732) 932-9800 x6209
Email: obropta@envsci.rutgers.edu
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