Grantee Research Project Results
2003 Progress Report: Improving Infrastructure for Environmental Research in North Dakota.
EPA Grant Number: R829415E01Title: Improving Infrastructure for Environmental Research in North Dakota.
Investigators: Hoffmann, Mark R.
Current Investigators: Hoffmann, Mark R. , Tilotta, David C.
Institution: University of North Dakota
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: September 1, 2001 through August 31, 2003 (Extended to February 28, 2005)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2003
Project Amount: $998,361
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)
Objective:
The State of North Dakota is firmly committed to building a highquality environmentally related research infrastructure that is well integrated and relevant to the needs of the state and the region. The Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) has four specific objectives: (1) installing outstanding investigators at the two major research universities in North Dakota who can perform high-quality research in environmentally related areas; (2) increasing the number of new research programs in environmental science and engineering through the use of a competitive seed grant program; (3) recruiting more undergraduates to pursue careers in environmentally related areas in science and engineering; and (4) forming a cohesive network of individuals from across North Dakota and the region that have interests in environmental science and engineering.
Progress Summary:
In the past year, progress has been made towards all of the four stated objectives. Two additional University of North Dakota (UND) researchers (Lim, Shay) were given seed grants for new research programs in environmental science and engineering, joining the seven UND researchers (Gerla, Kozliak, Mann, Muggli, Newman, Pyle, and Seames) and five North Dakota State University (NDSU) researchers (Croll, Lin, Hutchison, Stockwell, and Hatterman-Valenti) who previously have received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seed grants. Seven students were supported in part or entirely by recipients of the seed grants. Proposals from this group of investigators resulted in 12 additional environmentally related grants, with 10 proposals that are still pending.
Funds from this grant were used as part of the startup package for two researchers at NDSU (Khan, Webster), and the funds will contribute to a new faculty line at NDSU (Clark). The UND allocation of startup/faculty line funds is unspent.
The SIP portion of the EPSCoR grant is promoting environmental research in multiple disciplines. Clark, Hatterman-Valenti, Hutchison, Newman, Pyle, and Stockwell are in the Departments of Biological Sciences, Biology, or Plants; Mann, Muggli, and Seames are in the Department of Chemical Engineering; Khan, Lim, and Lin are in the Department of Construction Management and Engineering or Civil Engineering; Kozliak and Shay are in the Department of Chemistry; Webster is in the Department of Polymers and Coatings; and Gerla is in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering. The environmentally related collaboration between the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering already has resulted in a new funded proposal.
A variety of research has resulted from the seed grants; a few will be highlighted here. Seames (UND Chemical Engineering) reports that an anaerobic biofiltration apparatus has been constructed along with the associated peripheral equipment necessary to perform the experiments required in this grant. The fast sample gas chromatograph system also has been outfitted with the column and detectors necessary for S, H2S, and SO2 online analysis. An anaerobic bacteriological culture chamber has been constructed. Culturing of anaerobic green sulfur bacteria that can cleave H2S to elemental sulfur under red light conditions finally has been completed after a significant delay because of the suppliers of the bacteria. Experimentation is expected to begin shortly.
Methods to reduce the quantity of volatile organic solvents needed for organic synthesis, and thereby to reduce the quantity of hazardous waste generated are being investigated (Shay, UND Chemistry). The methods include the use of environmentally benign ionic liquids in place of organic solvents, and the use of cascade reactions in place of traditional stepwise synthesis procedures. The potential applications include the use of ionic liquids in organic synthesis and large-scale reactions. Progress has been achieved in the following areas: (1) synthesis of two novel ionic liquids; (2) the application of the novel ionic liquids in standard alkylation reactions; and (3) the development of metal-mediated cascade reactions performed in organic solvents or ionic liquids.
Flood frequency analysis of the Red River is a current research focus (Lim, UND Civil Engineering). One of the objectives is to determine the impacts of climate change factors on flood frequency. Some relevant data sets on floods and climatic factors have been compiled, and the preliminary analysis is underway.
Future Activities:
Future activities involve all of the seed grant projects that appear to be progressing towards results. There are no major changes in research directions in the final year of the grant period. The unspent startup/faculty line funds will be used to help aggressively recruit a scientist or engineer with environmentally related research to UND.
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 15 publications | 15 publications in selected types | All 15 journal articles |
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Type | Citation | ||
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Lukaski AC, Muggli DS. Photocatalytic oxidation of dichloroacetic acid and dichloroacetylchloride on TiO2: active sites, effect of H2O, and reaction pathways. Catalysis Letters 2003; 89(1-2):129-138 |
R829415E01 (2003) |
not available |
Supplemental Keywords:
air, atmosphere, water, drinking water, watersheds, groundwater, global climate, indoor air, exposure, risk, ecological effects, sensitive populations, animal, organism, population, susceptibility, chemicals, toxics, particulates, volatile organic compound, VOC, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, heavy metals, solvents, organics, effluent, ecosystem, indicators, aquatic, habitat, green chemistry, life-cycle analysis, clean technologies, waste reduction, waste minimization, remediation, bioremediation, environmental chemistry, biology, engineering, ecology, hydrology, zoology, monitoring, analytical, surveys, Upper Midwest, North Dakota, ND, ecosystem protection, environmental exposure and risk, geographic area, ecological indicators, ecology and ecosystems, ecosystem assessment, ecosystem indicators, state, ecoindicator, ecological exposure, estuarine ecoindicator,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Environmental Chemistry, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, climate change, State, Air Pollution Effects, Atmosphere, Ecological Indicators, monitoring, ecoindicator, ecological exposure, environmental monitoring, estuarine ecoindicatorProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.