Research Activities
FER Home : Environmental Technology : Research Activities
Our environmental technology research efforts explore the effects of human behavior on the health of natural resources and search for new ways to measure and repair damage caused by pollution and poor environmental practices. We are always seeking to develop new sustainable practices and adaptable technologies.
FER's research initiatives include a number of projects involving the application of environmental technology techniques to the conservation and restoration of natural resources. Past topics studied have included man-induced changes in the chemical climate and their effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; persistent organic pollutant fate in the environments of particular soils and sediments; pollutant bioavailabilty; ecological toxicology and risk assessment; hazardous materials management; restoration ecology, with an emphasis on wetland restoration and reclamation of drastically disturbed lands; effects of acid rain on forest growth; water quality research and testing; and much more.
Dr. Elizabeth Nichols — who teaches undergraduate courses in several environmental technology areas — also maintains a research group that involves both undergraduates and graduate students in hands-on study. The group has specialized in the study of higher molecular weight bioavailability in soils and sediments by examining whole sediment microcosms using isotope tracers, pyrolysis, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and spectroscopy techniques. Current research includes tracer and field studies to examine the bioaccessibility of contaminants in anaerobic sediments and vegetated systems. The group is also studying the sources and impacts of contaminants on endangered freshwater mussel populations.
Student Research
Undergraduate and graduate students in various NC State colleges have conducted research involving many different environmental technology issues. Recent topics have included:
- Applications of tracer studies and stable isotope geochemistry to determine rhizosphere alteration of PAH bioavailability in contaminated geomedia.
- Phytoremediation to prevent the non-point source discharge of gasoline-contaminated ground water to the Pasquotank River.
- Sediment toxicity and chemical speciation screening for the Conasauga River.
- The role of environmental molecular interfaces on the chemical and biological reactivity of pollutants.
For a look at completed graduate student research in this area, please visit the On-line Dissertation Library of the NC State Graduate School.
Special Facilities
In addition to FER’s other Forests & Facilities, our environmental technology area often uses the following facilities when conducting research:
The NC State’s Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology, a research center and laboratory headquartered in Raleigh. The Center sponsors research on topics ranging from freshwater to coastal marine ecosystems.
The Bull Neck Swamp Research Forest is a unique wetlands research site that covers 5,500 acres of waterfront property on NC’s Albemarle Sound and includes more that seven miles of rare, undisturbed shoreline. Here, FER students and faculty study critical environmental issues, including coastal water quality and aquatic wildlife management.
