Our Research Interests
Our oceans are filled with pollution stemming from our reliance on fossil fuels. This includes crude oil from oil spills and seeps, as well as microplastics. These pollutants do not float harmlessly; instead, they can interact with marine life and other pollutants, producing complex environmental impacts which we are only starting to comprehend.
We focus on investigating how bacteria living on surfaces, especially at oil-water and plastic-water interfaces, contribute to the breakdown or transformation of pollutants. We aim to answer questions like:
How do bacteria interact with oil and plastic on a microscopic scale?
Can we enhance the natural biodegradation process of oil and plastics?
How do sunlight, saltwater, and time alter the behavior of plastics in the ocean?
Why is this important?
Understanding how bacteria interact with oil and plastics is crucial for tackling major environmental problems. Certain marine microbes naturally break down oil and adhere to plastic surfaces, which can help to remove persistent pollutants from our oceans. This process is known as bioremediation. However, these interactions can also have negative effects, such as making contaminants more toxic or causing harmful chemicals to spread. By studying these microbial processes, we can enhance methods for cleaning up pollution, more accurately predict its long-term effects, and ultimately protect marine ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.
Current projects
Our lab combines microbiology, colloid and interface science, surface chemistry, and chemical engineering to investigate how microbes interact with pollutants over time. Some of the current projects are:
- Genetic engineering of marine bacteria capable of addressing oil spills and microplastic cleanup (Austin and Tristan).
- Characterization of marine bacteria on plastic surfaces to understand if and how they can degrade and ultimately assimilate plastics (Nick and Bridget)
- Understanding how microbial biofilms alter the adherence and transport of harmful chemicals on microplastics and the consequent changes in their toxicity (Austin, Nick, Bridget, and Quinten).
- The isolation of biosurfactants from marine bacteria to study their applications for industrial and environmental use (Austin, Nick, and Quinten).