Environmental Instrument Laboratory

The Environmental Research and Environmental Instrument Laboratories are located in Learned Hall and LEEP2. The Learned Hall labs were renovated in 2007. The main lab comprises 2600 sq. ft. of wet lab, analytical chemistry, microbiology, and fluorescent microscopy workspaces. Dr. Hutchison maintains a 572 sq. ft. Biosafety Level 2 lab. The LEEP2 lab includes 2433 sq. ft. of wet lab space. Dr. Sturm also oversees two labs (a 450 sq. ft Greenhouse and a 730 sq. ft. wet lab) in the Measurement, Materials and Sustainable Environment Center, which was dedicated in fall 2012.  In total, these laboratories contain all equipment necessary to perform reactor and biological growth experiments. The School of Engineering has a full-time technician staff and machine shop to help design, build, and maintain experimental set-ups. A list of key research capabilities for this space are provided below: 

  • Biological Reactor Studies (bench-scale)
    • Sequencing Batch Reactors for Wastewater Treatment
    • Granular Activated Sludge reactors
    • Biofilm reactors and biofilm characterization
    • Algal Photobioreactors
    • Anaerobic reactors
  • Treatability Studies (microcosms, bench-scale, mesocosms)
    • Testing of biological treatment capacity at multiple scales
  • Chemical Analysis
    • UV-Spectrophotometry methods
    • Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry
    • High Performance Liquid Chromatography
    • Ion Chromatography
    • Total Organic Carbon and Nitrogen
    • Metals and Elemental Analysis (CHONS, AA)
  • Biological Analysis
    • DNA extraction and quantification
    • quantitative PCR
    • Fluorescent microscopy for species identification (FISH)
    • Extracellular polymeric substance studies (chemical and microscopic)
    • Metagenomic analysis using Illumina sequencing
    • Protein/enzyme extraction
    • Enzymatic analysis

 

Laboratory Faculty