Aquatic and Environmental Biogeochemistry @ UW Madison

Anaerobic reactors awaiting sampling. Credit: Beth Tomaszewski

Our research focuses on connecting macro-scale environmental problems with the causative micro- and molecular-scale mechanisms. A large portion of this research has been devoted to determining reactions controlling the fate of the metal(loid) ions chromium, technetium, uranium, and arsenic, and of nutrients/contaminants, such as carbon, nitrate and phosphate. To perform this research, we use a multitude of traditional analytical methods, in combination with spectroscopic (e.g., infrared, X-ray photoelectron, and Raman spectroscopies) and microscopic (e.g., scanning and transmission electron microscopies) methods. Additionally, we actively incorporate state-of-the-art techniques, such as synchrotron radiation-based X-ray microscopic, spectroscopic, and diffraction techniques.