Research Focus

My research spans a wide range of environmental processes with the common theme of environmental chemistry, particularly related to environmentally significant surfaces and particles.

I also serve as the Director of UNH's Contaminated Sediments Center, where we focus on beneficial use of dredged sediments (including risk assessment for beneficial uses), and in-situ treatment methods.

Current Research Projects:

I currently have projects related to:

In-situ treatment of PCB-contaminated sediments by abiotic reductive dechlorination using Magnesium coated with a small amount of a Palladium catalyst.

Carbon sequestration using recycled materials, including crushed concrete fines, coal ash, and cement kiln dust.

Development of reactive caps for organic and inorganic contaminants using combinations of organoclays, activated carbon, and apatite. Research is also being conducted on phosphate-based reactive caps engineered specifically for metals

Geochemical weathering behavior of industrial byproducts, with a focus on natural reactions that reduce leaching of metals.

Beneficial use of dredged, contaminated sediments, looking particularly at use as an additive in the production of cement and the fate of contaminants in the process and final products.

Development of a risk assessment model, similar to EPA's 3MRA model, specifically focused on risks associated with the use of secondary (i.e. recycled) materials in highway environments (e.g. use as embankments, road base, aggregate substitute).