Friday, March 23, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

The Nanoscale Research Facility: A Meeting Place for Nanoscale Science and Technology at UF

Bill Appleton
Director, Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering
Technologies (NIMET)

Abstract
In 2004-2005 the University of Florida (UF) acquired funds from the State of Florida to construct the Nanoscale Research Facility (NRF). The NRF was conceived and designed to be an interdisciplinary, centralized, user facility for research and education in the area of nanoscale science and technology (NS&T). It will be available to all faculty, students and collaborators at UF.

Research in the nanoscale regime of science requires exceptional facilities and equipment. Fabrication of nanoscale devices and sensors requires special synthesis and processing equipment that must be operated in ultra-clean environments such as a class 100 cleanroom. Imaging requires electron microscopes that achieve atomic resolution, and these in turn require laboratories with extremely low vibration and electromagnet fields. Highly trained technical staff are required to train users of the equipment, and research and office space needs to be tailored to user operations. Turning nanoscience into nanotechnologies requires a thorough understanding of the science of small scale, and the ability to control and manipulate nanostructures.

This talk will review the origins of the Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technologies (NIMET), the capabilities of the NRF, some of the science opportunities, our efforts to instrument and staff the facility, and how the user program will operate.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Please note this seminar will be held in the Particle Science Center Seminar Room 202.

Particle Science Center Seminar (PERC) Rm 202
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

New Mechanism of Atmospheric Aerosol Formation by the Interaction of Sulfuric Acid with Organics

Dr. Myoseon Jang
UNC-Chapel Hill, Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Faculty Candidate

Abstract
Epidemiological studies have found that submicron particulate matter is strongly associated with acute health effects. As a class, secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is one of major constituents of ambient smaller particles. SOA is defined as organic aerosols formed by secondary processes in the atmosphere, in particular by gas phase reactions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with atmospheric oxidants (e.g., ozone, OH, and NOx). During the sequential reactions with atmospheric oxidants, the precursor VOCs are transformed to less volatile oxygenated products, which can partition on preexisting particles. This work focuses on the recent investigation suggesting that atmospheric organics such as aldehydes exposing to submicron sulfuric acid aerosols lead to significant increases in SOA mass and build-up of stabilized non-volatile products in aerosols. The proposed mechanisms for these phenomena are heterogeneous acid catalyzed reactions of atmospheric organics and the formation of organic sulfate in aerosols. Sulfuric acid is ubiquitous in the atmosphere not only in a primary form, such as a component of exhaustion particles, but also in a secondary form from oxidation of SO2. The predominance of SOA among fine particles and the prevalence of sulfur in fossil fuels suggest that interactions between these sources could be considerable. The extensive studies using controlled indoor chamber experiments show that the contribution of heterogeneous reactions to SOA formation is strongly correlated to particle acidity (humidity and inorganic composition), types of atmospheric oxidation reactions, and the molecular structure of oxidation products. Our studies also focus on the characterization of aerosol and the development of a new SOA model including both a conventional partitioning process and the new heterogeneous chemistry in aerosols.

Dr Myoseon Jang is the research assistant professor of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr Jang completed her Ph.D. at the UNC-Chapel Hill in 1997. She experienced industries as a research scientist for developing polymer materials and the analytical methods for drug and environmentally interesting compounds. Dr Jang's atmospheric research has focused on thermodynamic partitioning models, SOA formation, heterogeneous acid-catalyzed reactions of atmospheric organics, aerosol characterization, and nanoparticle application to exposure studies.

Friday, March 2, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Characterization of Fine Particle Air Pollution in India

Dr. Zohir Chowdhury
University of California at Berkeley, Environmental Health Sciences

Abstract
This study characterizes the mass and detailed inorganic and organic chemical composition of fine particle air pollution in several mega cities in South Asia and quantifies how major sources impact the observed levels by using Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) modeling with organic compounds as tracers. Funded by the World Bank, this type of source apportionment was conducted for the first time ever in India to help define the relative importance of the major sources that should be included within an air quality control program of the country. Chemical tracer source apportionment techniques are particularly attractive for application in regions that have not been studied previously because they are able to yield rapid insights into the causes of a local air pollution problem before the completion of an accurate emissions inventory. To complete the source apportionment work, South Asia specific fine particle source emissions were developed. Five Bangladeshi biomass (rice straw, coconut leaves, dried cow dung, synthetic biomass log, and jackfruit wood) and three Asian coals (Bangladeshi, Indian, and Chinese) were characterized and important source signatures were identified. The emission profiles and source signatures from these and other source tests were used to complete the CMB analysis.

Dr. Zohir Chowdhury is currently a post-doctoral researcher in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley. He completed his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2004 and his M.S. in Environmental Engineering from California Institute of Technology in 1999. His research interests are in both outdoor and indoor particulate matter (PM) characterization in developing countries and its health effects with emphasis on source apportionment, source emissions characterization, and development of low-cost PM instrument and sampling methods.

Friday, February 23, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Indoor/Outdoor Relationships, Trends and Carbonaceous Content of Fine Particulate Matter in Retirement Homes of the Los Angeles Basin

Dr. Andrea Polidori
University of Southern California, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Abstract
Numerous epidemiological studies have found associations between atmospheric aerosol concentrations and both acute and chronic adverse respiratory and cardiovascular effects. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) properties and components that are believed to be responsible for the observed adverse health effects include: mass, surface area, size, metals, acids, organic compounds, elemental carbon (EC), sulfate and nitrate salts, peroxides, soot and bioaerosols. The air quality standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1997 were primarily based upon epidemiological studies conducted at stationary outdoor monitoring sites. However, a significant portion of human exposures to PM2.5 occurs indoors where people spend approximately 85-90% of their time. Thus, understanding the composition, behavior and origin of indoor PM2.5 is important to exposure characterization and mitigation. The work presented in this lecture was conducted within the Cardiovascular Health and Air Pollution Study (CHAPS), a multi-disciplinary project whose goals are to investigate the effects of micro-environmental exposures to PM on cardiovascular outcomes in elderly retirees affected by coronary heart disease (CHD). During CHAPS hourly indoor and outdoor PM2.5, organic carbon (OC), EC, particle number (PN), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) concentrations were measured at two different retirement communities in the Los Angeles area and used to provide new insight into: a) the relationships between indoor and outdoor PM2.5, its components and their seasonal variations as well as their association with gaseous co-pollutants, b) the contributions of primary OC and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to measured outdoor OC and c) the relative importance of outdoor and indoor PM sources to measured indoor OC, EC, PM2.5 and PN concentrations. The results obtained in this work will be used to determine personal exposure to outdoor-infiltrated PM2.5 and its particulate components and to indoor-generated PM2.5 and its particulate components in elderly retirees with a history of CHD.

Dr. Andrea Polidori is currently a Post-doctoral Research Associate at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). He completed his Ph.D. at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in 2005 and has been at USC since then. His research has focused on characterizing the properties, the composition and the mechanisms of formation of the carbonaceous fraction of PM2.5 in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Please note this seminar will be held in the
Chemical Engineering Bldg. Room 316 on Monday 2/12

3:00 - 3:50 pm
Chemical Eng. Bldg Rm. 316

Sources of Ambient Organic Aerosol and PM2.5 in Pittsburgh, PA

Dr. R Subramanian

Abstract
In 1997, the USEPA promulgated new air quality standards regulating ambient particulate matter (PM) smaller than 2.5 m aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), as these "fine" particles are associated with increased health risks. Carbonaceous aerosols are a major component of PM2.5, and are usually measured as organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC). Some OC and all of the EC are emitted directly by anthropogenic and biogenic sources ("primary" emissions). OC can also be formed in the atmosphere by gas-to-particle conversion, and is then called secondary organic aerosol. Quantitative knowledge of the different source contributions is needed to effectively regulate emissions in order to meet the PM2.5 standard. In this talk, I shall present chemical mass balance (CMB) analysis of organic molecular markers data to investigate the sources of organic aerosol and PM2.5 in Pittsburgh, PA. The model accounts for emissions from eight primary source classes, including major anthropogenic sources such as motor vehicles, cooking, and biomass combustion as well as some primary biogenic emissions (leaf abrasion products). The uncertainty associated with selection of source profiles and fitting species is explicitly considered, while other factors such as sampling artifacts and photochemical aging are examined as well.

In the context of the overall organic carbon (OC) mass balance, the contributions of diesel vehicles, wood-smoke, debris, and coke-oven emissions are all small and well-constrained; however, estimates for the contributions of gasoline-vehicle and cooking emissions can vary by an order of magnitude. A best-estimate solution is presented that represents the vast majority of the CMB results; it indicates that primary OC only contributes 27.8% and 50.14% (average standard deviation of daily estimates) of the ambient OC in the summer and winter respectively. Approximately two-thirds of the primary OC is transported into Pittsburgh as part of the regional air mass. The ambient OC that is not apportioned by the CMB model is well correlated with secondary organic aerosol (SOA) estimates based on the EC-tracer method as well as ambient concentrations of organic species associated with SOA. Therefore, SOA appears to the major component of OC, not only in the summer, but potentially in all seasons. Primary OC does dominate the OC mass balance on a small number of non-summer days with high OC concentrations; these events are associated with specific meteorological conditions such as local inversions. PM emissions only contribute a small fraction of the ambient fine-particle mass, especially in the summer.

Speaker Bio
R Subramanian graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2004. This talk presents some results of his doctoral research as part of the Pittsburgh Air Quality Study. A two-year stint as a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, followed. He currently works with Droplet Measurement Technologies in Boulder, Colorado

Friday, February 9, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Everything You Wanted To Know About Stormwater Control But Were Afraid To Ask

John J. Sansalone, Ph. D
Environmental Engineering Sciences
University of Florida

Abstract
Since the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act, management of stormwater discharges has advanced from a challenge that was understood only well enough to realize the difficulties associated with application of conventional treatment design, to becoming our most recent water treatment and reuse challenge. Experience over the last decade has demonstrated that there continues to be a significant gap in knowledge between "Best Management Practices" (BMPs) design/analysis/monitoring and the fundamental unit operations and processes (UOPs) that can demonstrate treatment viability as a function of the hydrologic, physical and chemical characteristics of stormwater loadings. Success requires the integrated knowledge of fundamental hydrologic, physical and chemical properties of the stormwater loadings, combined with a foundation of UOP concepts and principles. This synthesis is critical whether the objective is hydrologic, water chemistry control, water reuse, reclamation, or often, a combination of these. Without such a foundation, terms such as "best management practices" or "control strategy" have little meaning at best, and at worst are a euphemism for doing something, usually without an assessment plan, and usually at the expense of significant resources. Stormwater treatment, control and re-use will become the environmental industry of this century in the USA. Eventually we will realize that while we must develop structural stormwater BMPs, these will become only one component of rainfall-runoff treatment, control and reuse. However, structural BMP systems that do not provide some level of hydrologic restoration (as a combination of de-centralized and centralized treatment) may not be economically sustainable. Additionally given the load inventories that build up in MS4s, source control practices must be an integral part of any management plan that includes treatment, control and reuse. In addition, the success or failure of stormwater control is dependent in large part upon our understanding and application of hydrologic processes and controls as an integral part of physical and chemical unit operations and processes. Management of stormwater requires that we recognize that quantity and quality are coupled phenomena in MS4s, and it is only with restoration of the hydrologic cycle and management of the urban water cycle that control of stormwater will be sustainable.

Friday, February 2, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

How Much Sand is Owed Florida's Nesting Sea Turtles?
Analysis of Beach Nourishment Data for Florida's Atlantic Coast During the Last Century

Dr. Clay L. Montague
Environmental Engineering Sciences
University of Florida

Abstract
Beach nourishment has not been a proactive tool for rebuilding lost sea turtle nesting habitat, yet much habitat may be missing owing to beach erosion caused by the long history of harbor and inlet engineering. To estimate the potential loss of nesting habitat, a century of dredge and fill data for the east coast of Florida was extracted from two online databases (US Army Corps of Engineers and Duke University). The records show removal of over 150 million cu yd of material from the sand budget by disposal at offshore and at upland sites. The volume of harbors and channels was increased by a little over 62 million cu yd. Little of the lost material has been returned, and much of the remaining sand has become redistributed, with a possible loss of dunes and the dry berm in which sea turtles build nests. Allowing the deepened harbors and inlets to refill may further erode beaches and dunes. Assuming the depth is maintained, and that 30% of the material removed was never part of the sand sharing system in the first place, in 2003 a sand deficit remained of a little more than 60 million cu yd. This is enough sand for a layer 2 yd deep, 100 yd wide and 185 miles long. Improvements in engineering theory and practice and diligence on the part of sea turtle managers have reduced the short term impacts on turtles, and increased the durability of restored beaches. It may now be appropriate to incorporate beach nourishment as a tool in the restoration of critical nesting habitat for sea turtles. Replacing the amount of sand missing may restore all currently unsuitable nesting beaches to full sea turtle production capacity. Finding enough sand of appropriate quality to import into the system is an immediate concern. The increasing cost of fuel is another. Failure to act now may mean the opportunity for humanity to restore sea turtle nesting habitat will be lost.

Friday, January 26, 2007

JOINT SEMINAR
Environmental Engineering Sciences/Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
282 JWRU (Reitz Union)
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Observations of New Particle Formation and Growth Rates in the Atmosphere

Dr. Peter McMurry
University of Minnesota, Mechanical Engineering

Abstract
Atmospheric observations made during the past decade have shown that new particles are frequently formed by nucleation from the gas phase. The number of particles formed can be much greater than the number of preexisting particles, and freshly nucleated particles typically grow to sizes of 10-100 nm during the course of a day. Furthermore, nucleation often occurs over widespread areas in locations including urban areas, the continental boundary layer, the outflows of convective clouds, and coastal zones. Therefore, nucleation may be an important global source of cloud condensation nuclei, and may play an important role in regulating climate. In this lecture, observations of particle production and growth rates in various locations will be summarized. These observations were made possible by the recent availability of instruments to measure concentrations of certain gas phase precursors (e.g., H₂SO₄, NH₃), and size distributions of particles as small as 3 nm and ions as small as 0.5 nm. Valuable insights have also been obtained from techniques that have recently been developed to measure the composition and properties of freshly nucleated particles. These new measurement techniques include the thermal desorption chemical ionization mass spectrometer (TDCIMS) to measure the composition of sub-10 nm particles and the Nano-Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (Nano-TDMA) to study their hygroscopicity and volatility. This lecture will summarize what these new analytical capabilities have taught us about atmospheric nucleation. A simple criterion that determines whether or not observable new particle formation occurs on a given day will be described, and the observed empirical relationship between particle formation rates and sulfuric acid vapor concentrations will be shown.

Professor Peter H. McMurry is the Kenneth T. Whitby Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He completed his Ph.D. at Caltech in 1977 and has been at Minnesota since then. His atmospheric research has focused on the development of techniques to measure fundamental aerosol properties (density, shape factors, refractive index, water content, etc.) and the formation of new atmospheric particles by homogeneous nucleation.

Friday, January 19, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Commercialization of a Novel Technology for Hg Capture from Water:
Decisions Required for Commercialization

Dr. David Mazyck
Environmental Engineering Sciences
University of Florida

Abstract
Often research is aimed at developing new technologies for air and water purification, but often the decision to commercialize these inventions is after the fact (i.e., after the bulk of the research is concluded). As a result, the commercialization of these technologies becomes highly unlikely because the objectives of academic research are quite different than profit motivated research. Ongoing research efforts have focused on removing mercury at low levels (i.e., parts per trillion) using advanced oxidation with the primary intent to commercialize this technology. Ultraviolet light is used to oxidize organic compounds bonded to mercury thereby making the mercury available to bond with anions in solution (e.g., sulfide). The presentation will highlight this technology and some of the decisions and obstacles one must face when commercialization is of interest.

Friday, January 12, 2007

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Friday, December 1, 2006

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Inactivation of Bacillus cereus Spores by TiO2 Photocatalysis on Surfaces under Dry Conditions

Jue Zhao^1,3, Vijay Krishna^2,3, Brij Moudgil^2,3 and Ben Koopman^1,3

1. Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering
3. Particle Engineering Research Center

The spores of bacteria and fungi in the indoor environment are a major cause of allergy and respiratory problems and are also responsible for nosocomial infections. Surfaces of windows, walls, tables, etc. in buildings are repositories of bacterial and fungal spores, which can survive extreme environments and
germinate on return of favorable conditions. Photocatalysis with titanium dioxide has been widely researched for inactivation of microorganisms and utilized for creating antimicrobial surfaces. Titanium dioxide, unlike chemical disinfectants, does not generate toxic by-products and complete mineralization of organic material occurs with time, thus eliminating allergens. Few studies have investigated the inactivation of bacterial spores by photocatalysis, and even fewer investigations have addressed the inactivation of spores on surfaces in the air. Most of the studies did not distinguish between the action of solar UV (UVA)
irradiation (photolysis) alone and the combined action of photolysis and photocatalysis. Furthermore, two studies that distinguished photolysis and photocatalysis showed varying indications as to whether photocatalysis makes a significant contribution to spore inactivation.

The goal of this research was to determine the effect of UVA intensity on the contribution of photocatalysis to inactivation of bacterial endospores on surfaces in air. Before this could be accomplished, however, key experimental techniques for purifying, dispersing and recovering spores had to be worked out. The first two specific objectives of the study were therefore to evaluate alternative spore purification methods and to find the most effective method for dispersing the spores that would also allow their efficient recovery. Once these objectives were achieved, the third objective could be addressed, which was to compare inactivation of irradiated spores in contact with titania to inactivation of irradiated spores without contact with titania,
and to determine the effect of UVA intensity on the above relationship. Results of these investigations and their implications for successful deployment of antimicrobial photocatalytic surfaces in the indoor environment are presented.

Friday, November 17, 2006

386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Dry Creek Watershed Investigation: Long Term Assessment of the Impacts of Forest Harvesting on Amphibians and Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Marcus Griswold, Diane Bennett, Brooke Talley
Graduate Students, EES

Abstract
A five year assessment of biotic responses to forest management and harvest is being conducted at the Dry Creek watershed of the International Paper experimental forest in southern Georgia. Four neighboring subwatersheds were monitored in this study: two left intact to serve as controls and two harvested according to Georgia best management practices. Particular emphasis has been placed on role of the riparian zone around the creek and the broader management issue of the Streamside Management Zone. Regarding the latter, some SMZs were left intact, while selective thinning was conducted with others. The long term impact of forest management practices on amphibian and benthic macroinvertebrates will be discussed.

Thursday, November 9, 2006*

1001 New Physics Building*
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

*Please note special day and location for this week's seminar due to observation of Veteran's Day on Fri, 11/10

Everglades Restoration: In Progress or in Peril?

Professor Wayne C. Huber
Chair of the National Research Council Review Committee on the Everglades
Oregon State University

Abstract
The Everglades are unique in the world in their assemblage of geographic and ecological wonders, ranging from tree islands to exotic reptiles and wading birds. With a landscape that slopes as little as an inch per mile, the water in the "River of Grass" historically moved slowly but inexorably from the region of Lake
Okeechobee southward towards the current Everglades National Park and Florida Bay, sustaining its unique ecological riches. However, nearly 130 years of drainage, channelization, encroachment, and development for the beneficial uses of agriculture, industry, and cities have reduced the original 3
million acres of natural landscape by about half. Water destined for Everglades National Park must now run a gauntlet of canals, levees, pump stations, and hydraulic controls. Pollution of pristine natural waters by phosphorus and mercury and invasion by exotic species further compromise the ability of the Everglades
and its water to support its ecological functions. In response to these issues, the state of Florida and the nation have formed a partnership to restore the remaining Everglades ecosystem as nearly as possible to pre-drainage hydrologic conditions, under the reasonable assumption that if we "get the water right," a positive ecological response will follow. The nearly 11 billion dollar (2004 estimate) Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or CERP, is the realization of this partnership, as jointly managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District. Authorized by the Water
Resources Development Act of 2000, or WRDA 2000, the Plan includes provision for independent scientific oversight as to progress in restoring the natural system. The National Research Council's Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration Progress, or CISRERP, was formed for this purpose in 2004, and recently issued its first biennial report on restoration progress. This seminar will provide background on the Everglades and the CERP and summarize the committee's findings on restoration progress to date. http://fermat.nap.edu/books/0309103355/html/R9.html 

Friday, November 3, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

The University of Florida Water Institute
Who, What and Why??

Wendy Graham, Carl S. Swisher Chair in Water Resources
Director, University of Florida Water Institute

Abstract
With the world's largest ecosystem restoration project, one of the world's most productive aquifers, the largest concentration of first magnitude springs in the country, a burgeoning human population, and vulnerability to both climatological and anthropogenic changes in the water cycle, Florida provides a
unique living laboratory to develop new knowledge and test solutions to water problems. The University of Florida Water Institute was officially established in June 2006 with a mission to foster interdisciplinary research, education, and public outreach programs in water-related studies. Engineering, policy and legal solutions developed in Florida will provide a model for others, both nationally and internationally. Thus we envision a Water Institute at UF committed to addressing Florida issues while being recognized for providing solutions, science and education for national and global water resource problems.  This seminar will discuss the history, mission, current activities and strategic plan for the UF Water Institute.

Friday, October 27, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Nanotechnology and the Environment: A Preliminary Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Nanomaterials on Biota and Ecosystem Functions

Dr. J.C. Bonzongo

Abstract
Emerging nanotechnology holds a great promise for creating new means of detecting pollutants, cleaning polluted waste streams, recovering materials before they become wastes, and expanding the currently available resources. The anticipated growth of this new technology and the resulting widespread use of its products could lead to both intentional and non-intentional discharges of a new class of pollutants into the environment. This study focuses on the environmental implications of nanomaterials (NM) with emphasis
on toxicity and toxicity mechanism(s). The objectives are: (1) to assess the toxicity of nanomaterials on biota using short-term micro-biotests and investigate the impacts of NM on microbial-driven ecological functions; (2) to determine possible mechanisms of toxicity of different types of NM; and (3) to investigate the fate of pollutants adsorbed on NM used in remediation processes. Our preliminary experiments focusing on the toxicity of C60 through direct exposure to or by spiking aquatic sediments with increasing C60 concentrations have shown negative impacts on both tested organisms (e.g. invertebrate-based test, and a unicellular algal-based test) and rates of sedimentary biogeochemical processes that are driven by bacteria. In parallel, we initiated a computational investigation of molecular mechanisms of NM toxicity
with a focus on interactions of NM with cell membranes. In this case, we modeled cell membranes as lipid bilayers and investigated model carbon-based NM (C60 and SWNT) and observed extremely small barrier for permeation of these NM into the hydrophobic interior of a lipid bilayer. Finally, using mercury bio-methylation as surrogate for bioavailability of TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite-bound inorganic Hg, we assessed the potential for nanowastes to become hazardous if not disposed safely.

Friday, October 20, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Microbial Inactivation by Microwave Radiation in the Home Environment

Gabriel Bitton, Ph.D., Professor

Abstract
A study was undertaken on the survival of microorganisms (heterotrophic plate count, total coliforms, E. coli, bacterial spores) in a consumer-type microwave oven. Kitchen sponges, scrubbing pads, and syringes were experimentally contaminated with wastewater and subsequently exposed to microwave radiation. At
100% power level, it was found that the heterotrophic plate count (i.e., total bacterial count) of wastewater was reduced by more that 99% within 1 to 2 min whereas the total coliforms and E. coli were totally inactivated after 30 seconds of microwave radiation. Bacterial phage MS2 was totally inactivated within 1 to 2 min. Spores of Bacillus cereus were more resistant than the other microorganisms tested, and were completely eradicated only after 4-min irradiation. Similar inactivation rates were obtained in wastewater-contaminated scrubbing pads.

Microorganisms attached to plastic syringes were more resistant to microwave irradiation than those associated with kitchen sponges or scrubbing pads. It took 10 min for total inactivation of the heterotrophic plate count, and 4 min for the total inactivation of total coliforms and E. coli. A 4-log reduction of phage MS2 was obtained after two min whereas 97.4% reduction was observed after 12-min exposure to microwave radiation. We also observed a higher inactivation of B. cereus spores in syringes placed in a ceramics container than those placed in a glass container. This finding could have some implications in the design of containers for exposure of medical devices to microwave radiation. The implications of these findings in consumer safety in the home environment are discussed.

Friday, October 13, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Mass Flux as a Remedial Performance Metric at Contaminated Sites

Michael D. Annable

Abstract
Remediation of hazardous waste sites has advanced significantly over the last ten years. Our initial evaluation of remedial performance focused on concentration based measurements. Typically groundwater and soils were sampled before and after clean up and success or failure was based on these results. More recently focus has shifted to assessment of mass flux and integrated mass discharge leaving a contaminated source area. These metrics are being adopted because they provide a more direct link to the expected contaminant plume response to source zone remediation. This presentation will briefly review the chronology and motivation behind the changes. The shift to a flux based performance assessment has lead to innovative advances in our ability to collect data on contaminant mass flux and discharge at field sites. The current field methods will be reviewed. The move to flux based site assessment also provides the ability to perform site mass balances and predict the long term response to remedial decisions. Two case studies will be used to highlight the advantages of flux based performance metrics. A surfactant flood conducted at Hill AFB Utah and a thermal remedial implementation at Ft. Lewis Army Base Washington provide examples
of flux based remedial performance assessment. Innovative methods for quantifying mass flux and discharge were applied at these sites including passive flux meters and integral pump tests.

Friday, September 29, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Commercial Partnerships for University-Based Research

William Sheehan

There are many excellent reasons for considering commercial partnerships for university based research. There are also several solid reasons why you should not. This seminar will discuss the pros and cons of pursing commercial applications for university based research and hopefully help you decide when collaborating with industry is a good option. The seminar will also describe some of the key criteria for developing a successful commercial partnership. Part of the discussion will focus on the Environmental Systems Commercial Space Technology Center (ES CSTC) which was awarded by NASA to the University of Florida in December of 2000 for the express purpose of developing applications research of interest to NASA?s Advanced Life Support Program. A specific and somewhat unique requirement of the cooperative
agreement was for universities to collaborate with industry on applications research so that the NASA space application and commercial application for industry were pursued concurrently. Lessons learned from operation of the ES CSTC at UF will be highlighted during the discussion.

Friday, September 22, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Environmental Research at the Particle Engineering Research Center

Kevin W. Powers

The Particle Engineering Research Center was founded in 1994 as anNSF funded Center dedicated to the study of Particle Technology. One of the charter objectives of the Center is to promote the interaction between industrial partners and the academic community for the advancement of pure and applied research into particle science and engineering. Due to the wide application of particle technologies in almost all industries, the research efforts of the Center are varied but focus on common themes such as: characterization, separations, engineered particulates, cohesive powder flow and biomedical applications. The application of particle science towards environmental issues has been a strong emphasis since the Center's inception. A number of very successful collaborative research efforts have been conducted with the Environmental Engineering Sciences faculty and students. Currently, PERC researchers and associated faculty are involved in several research projects with environmental implications. One such effort involves a
multidisciplinary team investigating the health, safety and environmental implications of nanotechnologies. The Center also participates in several national and international standards development efforts related to this area. In this presentation, Dr. Powers will review the technical capabilities of the PERC and illustrate them with an example of assessing the in-vitro toxicology of nanoparticles.

Friday, September 15, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Overview of Chemical Engineering Graduate Research

Jennifer Sinclair Curtis
Chair, Chemical Engineering Department

This presentation will give an overview of the ongoing research in the chemical engineering department with an emphasis on potential areas of collaboration with Environmental Engineering Sciences. The main areas of research of the chemical engineering faculty are bioengineering, electronic materials processing, complex fluids, and interfacial phenomena and nanotechnology. During the past two years, the department has added six new faculty members bringing the department’s total faculty size to 26. Hence, UF’s Chemical Engineering department is one of the largest in the country. The new faculty hires are in the areas of advanced materials, nanotechnology and bioengineering. Virtually all thesis research conducted in the department is PhD student research - the department’s PhD student population exceeds 100, with only about 10 MS-non thesis students. The department is 6th among all chemical engineering departments nationally in terms of the number of PhD students graduated (Chemical & Engineering News, July 24, 2006 issue).

Friday, September 8, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-minute Seminar

Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to Environmental Engineering Studies

Srikanth Pathapati, Robert Rooney, Ki-joon Jeon, John Sansalone

Recent studies have concluded that traditional analytical and semi-empirical methods are defensible approaches to modeling UOP (Unit Operations and Processes) behavior when combined with monitoring to environmental loadings. However such methods are challenged under common non-ideal flow conditions and can misrepresent actual behavior to complex loadings.

The Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations are universally accepted as the fundamental equations of fluid flow. For complex flows complex heterogeneous loadings for complex geometries, solving these equations analytically is not a feasible task without significant simplifications. This has led to the development of various numerical schemes to solve the N-S equations. Advances in computational power have facilitated the use of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Finite Volume Method (FVM) to investigate the multiphase dynamics of fluids. The CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) approach to examining and modeling the behavior of a UOP provides a complete picture of flow regimes within the geometry of the UOP considered. Two case studies are presented. The first case study examined the hydrodynamic and particulate clarification response of a hydrodynamic separator with a set of algorithms incorporated into a CFD model of the UOP system. A K-ε model was used to model flow and a Lagrangian Discrete Phase Model (DPM) was used to calculate particle trajectories and predict particle separation results. The CFD simulation results were compared with monitored data and material balances, and these results demonstrated success in modeling the particle separation behavior of the hydrodynamic separator. The second case study presented illustrates the internal thermodynamics of an incinerator using a CFD simulation.

Friday, September 1, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Role of Water Reuse in Limiting Ocean Discharge of Nutrients in Southeast Florida

Fatma Y. Cakir, Matt Rembold, Gautam Kini, Paul Indeglia, Ben Koopman and James P. Heaney

Each day some 49,000 lb of nitrogen and 4,000 lb of phosphorus in secondarily treated municipal effluents are discharged to the coastal ocean through outfalls in Southeast Florida. Coincidentally, Southeast Florida lags behind the rest of the State in implementing water reuse. Increasing the extent of water reuse in this part of Florida could limit the quantity of nutrients discharged to the ocean as well as conserve freshwater resources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of four alternatives involving differing levels of public access reuse and groundwater recharge on the quantities of nutrients discharged through ocean outfalls and the costs of treatment, water reuse, and effluent disposal.

Friday, August 25, 2006
386 NEB
2:45 pm Reception
3:00 pm 50-Minute Seminar

Overview of Graduate Research

James P. Heaney and Joe Delfino

During the past four years, the number of Ph.D. students in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences has quadrupled to our current enrollment of 64 Ph.D. students. The purpose of this graduate seminar series is to enhance interaction among our graduate students by having a weekly seminar series where ideas can be exchanged and feedback provided on our individual research endeavors. The format for each presentation is a 35-minute talk followed by 15 minutes of discussion.

Professors Heaney and Delfino will initiate the seminar series with presentations on administrative procedures for graduate research. They will also provide some general guidelines in terms of expectations for evaluating the productivity of research as measured by publications and sponsored research.

Dr. Hwidong Kim, EES Lab Manager, will also discuss the requirements that all graduate students doing lab work attend a safety seminar prior to working in the labs.