Research Opportunity Number: CEE-01

Project Title: Effects of PFAS on Freshwater Ecosystems: Microbial Adaptations and Alterations of the Nitrogen Cycle

Project Summary: Investigate the physicochemical properties of various soil and sediment samples and perform microbial community analysis using 16S amplicon sequencing. This study will assess the impact of PFAS on nitrification and denitrification rates through sediment incubation experiments from diverse freshwater environments. 

The experiments will focus on measuring nitrification and denitrification rates under varying concentrations of PFOA and PFOS, with a particular emphasis on PFAS defluorination processes. Additionally, the analysis will include chemical species such as fluoride, ammonium, and iron.

Student Roles and Responsibilities: The student will assist in sampling and analyses. Students will not work with the preparation of PFAS solution, minimizing exposure. Techniques used will be microbiological incubations (non-pathogens), labeling, assisting with analyses.

Additional Considerations: Start and end dates are flexible, but the student should ideally be available from 10am to 3 or 4pm daily for a minimum of 5 to 6 weeks.

Department/Institute: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Participation Dates: July 1 – August 20, 2025

Stipend Offered: $0

Number of Internships Available: 0-2

Application Deadline: March 15, 2025, midnight Eastern Daylight Time