Water Quality and Biotechnology Laboratory

Research

Current research projects: [all projects]

• GK-12 Fellows Project STEP (Science and Technology Enhancement Program): Building "STEMcinnati City", National Science Foundation, $1,898,330, 2006-2011.  The objective of this project is to train STEM graduate students in teaching techniques for high school science and math courses using engineering as an authentic vehicle to transform classroom learning.
• SBRP: Molecular Microbial Ecology, NIH, $1,000,000, 2006-2010.  The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate molecular methods to track viable bacteria in PAH- and Cr-contaminated soil.

Facilities: [all facilities]

The Program of Environmental Engineering and Science within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Cincinnati is composed of twelve full-time, tenure-track faculty members supporting more than 60 full-time MS students and 40 full-time PhD students with annual extramural support of more than $4million.  As part of this strong research group, Dr. Oerther has access to significant shared analytical instrumentation.  In addition to shared instrumentation and facilities, Dr. Oerther, his staff and students, have exclusive use of more than 2,000 sq ft of contiguous research space subdivided to include individual labs.

Representative recent publications: [all publications]

• Cai, Z., Sorial, G.A., Zhang, K., Saikaly, P., Zein, M.M., Oerther, D.B., 2008, "Effect of Changing VOC Influent Composition on the Microbial Community Structure of TBABs," Water Air and Soil Pollution: Focus, Springer, 8(3-4):311-321.
• Lamendella, R., Santo Domingo, J.W., Kelty, C., and Oerther, D.B., 2008, "Occurrence of Bifidobacteria in Feces and Environmental Waters," Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 74(3):575-584.
• Lamendella, R., Santo Domingo, J.W., Oerther, D.B., Vogel, J.R., and Stoeckel, D.M., 2007, "Assessment of Fecal Source Pollution in a Small Northern-plains Watershed Using PCR and Phylogenetic Assays of Bacteroidetes 16S rDNA," FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 59(3):651-660.
• Jing, G., Polaczyk, A., Kinkle, B., Oerther, D.B., and Papautsky, I., 2007, "Development of a Microfluidic Biosensor for Detection of Environmental Mycobacteria," Sensors & Actuators: B 123:614-629.
• Zhang, K., Choi, H., Dionysiou, D. D., Sorial, G. A., Oerther, D. B., 2006, "Identifying Pioneer Bacterial Species Responsible for Biofouling Membrane Bioreactors," Environmental Microbiology, 8(3):433-440.
• Polaczyk, A., Kinkle, B., Paputsky, I., and Oerther, D. B., 2006, "Culture-based MEMS Device to Track Gordonia in Activated Sludge," Environmental Science Technology, 40:2269-2274.
• Oerther, D. B., 2006, "Integrating Molecular Biology Research, Teaching, and Professional Outreach in Environmental Engineering and Science," Environmental Engineering Science, 23(3):451-460.

Questions? Contact Daniel B. Oerther.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Room 765 Baldwin Hall; Box 210071
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0071, USA
(513) 556-3670; (513) 556-2599 (fax)

Copyright Information © University of Cincinnati. 2009