Dr. Samuel P. Massie
  Chair
Dr. Paul J. Turner
504-771-3935
504-771-2883 (fax)
e-mail: paul@engr.subr
 

Environmental Research and Training

The curriculum of the College of Engineering was revised to allow Environmental Engineering students to take full advantage of the new laboratory and hands-on training. Southern University's science and engineering departments have conducted environmental studies in various disciplines:

	Environmental impact assessments of solid waste applications to agriculture
	Methods of regenerating two types of zeolite ion exchange material used in wastewater decontamination
	Strategies for decontaminating soils using an air-stripping process

Research Facilities

The Environmental Engineering and Sciences Laboratory is a state-of-the-art environmental science laboratory at Southern University. It is the first part of a multiyear plan of development that will include three additional environmental laboratories in the new Engineering building, scheduled for completion in 1999. The laboratory has the capability to perform environmental analyses for both organic and inorganic compounds on a wide range of material. It is equipped to perform SW-846-type extractions and separations and can perform a wide range of waste-form performance testing.

The Center for Energy and Environmental Studies (CEES), through its affiliation with faculty members from the Colleges of Sciences, Engineering, and Agriculture and the School of Public University Law Center, has capabilities in the following areas:

Environmental Policy: The center conducts assessments of the level of public awareness of environmental issues; advises on environmental regulations; and identifies possible areas of conflict between program missions and environmental standards. The center has the additional capability to perform trend analyses, determine approaches to develop environmental investment strategies, and forge greater interactions among environmental groups by hosting conferences, symposia, and facilitating public environmental literacy.

Toxicology: CEES has conducted studies on air quality in the vicinity's industrial facilities. Research efforts are geared toward:

	Development and evaluation of new methods and technologies for ambient air quality standards
	Education and training of students, faculty, and staff regarding air toxicity and ozone-related problems
	Establishment of mechanisms to transfer available engineering technology and methodology to industry and government

Water Quality Assurance and Analysis: Water quality analysis research has been conducted for the Louisiana Geological Survey and the Department of Energy on geo-pressure/geo-thermal wells in southern Louisiana and Texas. The center has developed a Quality Assurance Control Program to ensure reliability and precision of water analysis using state-of-the-art equipment, including automated ion chromatography, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and automated titrimetry.

Hazardous Waste Management: CEES conducts research on the transport of toxic chemicals in soil, water, and air. Methodology has been developed to measure physical, chemical, and hydraulic parameters that govern contaminant transport. The center proposes to examine policy and management processes associated with the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste and to assess the economic implications of different waste management techniques.

Aquatic Toxicology: Indiscriminate use of pesticides and improper handling of industrial waste result in inadvertent deaths of aquatic animals that are important from an economic and human health standpoint. The center has the capability to assess the possible damage to these animals by conducting bioassays, enzyme assays, and measurement of bioaccumulative compounds in the tissues of crayfish and fish.

Major Equipment

Southern University's Engineering Computer Services is responsible for the fiber-optic wide area network that connects four engineering buildings and local area networks within the buildings. Engineering Computer Services also manages a laboratory with:

	20 NCD XStations
	6 IBM RISC-6000s
	2 SUN servers
	20 SUN and IBM workstations

The Environmental Engineering and Sciences Laboratory is equipped with the following instrumentation:

	Ion chromatograph
	Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer
	High-pressure liquid chromatograph
	Colorimeters
	AA spectrometer

Faculty Profiles

Mulneh Azene, Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D., Texas Tech University).

Veeraraghava Bachireddy, Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D., University of Arkansas).

Owusu Bandele, Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D., North Carolina State University).

Sahib Chehi, Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D., North Carolina State University).

Erat Joseph, Civil Engineering (Ph.D., University of Colorado).

Paul Turner, Physical Chemistry (Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara).

Ben Zadegan, Civil Engineering (Ph.D., Louisiana State University).

For more information about tasking Southern University
for technical support, contact:
Cathy S. Fore
LMES HBCU/MEI Involvement Program Coordinator
Phone: 423-576-6838
e-mail: forecs@ornl.gov

Prepared by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-84OR21400

April 1997