Current Research - Post Wildfire Soil and Water Geochemistry
Hypothesis outline for the impact of calcite and phosphate on arsenic and chromium mobility in soils after ash addition
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Dr. Matt Polizzotto - [email protected] - soilwaterlab.org
The goal of my current research is to determine the influence of different ash types, and by extension different fire severities, on the chromium and arsenic leaching potential of post-fire soils. I am specifically focusing on the soils of Oregon, one of the many areas worldwide where wildfire frequency and intensity has been increasing. I aim to characterize the chemical mechanisms responsible for observed differences in contaminant leaching potentials due to addition of different ash types, burn temperatures, and soil compositions. In the future, I plan to apply this mechanistic knowledge to post-burn field sites to study the post-fire chemical changes in soil and ash and their impact on their surrounding watershed. This fundamental understanding of fire-soil interactions will be helpful as a basis for ongoing research and for informed land stewardship. |
Undergraduate Research
Dr. Yuanzhi Tang - [email protected] - tang.eas.gatech.edu
During my undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech, I shadowed graduate student Estefania Garcia as part of Dr. Yuanzhi Tang's geochemistry research group, learning to perform various lab procedures independently and helping her process data.
Project Focus: heavy metal concentrations and speciation in coal fly ash
Techniques: use of various extraction techniques (including sequential extraction, total digestion, and EPA toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) to prepare samples for analysis in ICP-OES
Experience with: acids, serological pipettes, variable volume single chamber pipettes, syringe filters, centrifuge, agitator, oven, ICP-OES & argon tanks
During my undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech, I shadowed graduate student Estefania Garcia as part of Dr. Yuanzhi Tang's geochemistry research group, learning to perform various lab procedures independently and helping her process data.
Project Focus: heavy metal concentrations and speciation in coal fly ash
Techniques: use of various extraction techniques (including sequential extraction, total digestion, and EPA toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) to prepare samples for analysis in ICP-OES
Experience with: acids, serological pipettes, variable volume single chamber pipettes, syringe filters, centrifuge, agitator, oven, ICP-OES & argon tanks