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Drexel University
Graduate Programs in
Environmental Science, Engineering, and Policy
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia PA 19104


Olin Workshop on Chemical and Biological Treatment of Hazardous Wastes

Purpose of the Workshop

Soil and water have been severely polluted by organic compounds during the last century. Some of these compounds, such as petroleum hydrocarbons, result from natural processes, but have been transported by man to new environments in ever increasing volumes. Other compounds are totally man-made. Spills can cause environmental disaster, and long-term releases of small volumes can have cumulative effects which are just as bad. Many of the compounds or their by-products are toxic while others are such good nutrients that they cause a biological overabundance of one species leading to oxygen deprivation for all of the others. Removing the contamination can be done by physical, chemical and biological means. Physical means of removal (digging it up, transporting it off-site and either land-filling or burning it) are expensive. Chemical and biological methods offer good alternatives.

This workshop presented information on the theory and practice of chemical and biological treatment of hydrocarbon contaminants. The workshop consisted of a series of talks on the use of molecular biology in evaluating and developing appropriate microbes, the biochemistry and toxicology of hazardous compounds and their by-products, chemical oxidation processes for rapid degradation, and on-site treatment processes. Political implications of contamination and remediation processes were also discussed.

Schedule of Events in 2019-2020 MacAlister Hall, Thursday, October 16, 1997

9:00 a.m. Registration,

9:30 a.m. Welcome by Provost Richard Astro, Ph.D. and Michael A. Gealt, Ph.D., Director, School of Environmental Science, Engineering and Policy

9:45 a.m. Dr. Michael Gealt, Director, School of Environmental Science, Engineering and Policy, ÒHydrocarbon Contamination: A General SummaryÓ

10:15 a.m. Dr. Gerben Zylstra, Associate Professor, Center for Agricultural Molecular Biology, Rutgers University, "Diversity of Genes for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation"

11:00 a.m. BREAK

11:15 a.m. Dr. Carl Cerniglia, Director, Division of Microbiology, Food and Drug Administration, "Current Aspects on the Fungal Degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons"

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:30 p.m. Dr. Mirat Gurol, Blasker Professor of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, "Application of Oxidation Processes for Treatment of Hazardous Waste"

2:30 p.m. Mr. Dan Erdman, P.E. and Mr. John Garges, P.G., Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, "Evaluation of In-Situ Oxidation Processes as an Alternative to Groundwater Remediation"

3:15 p.m. BREAK

3:30 p.m. Discussion - Training Environmental Professionals: What is Needed by Industry?

5:00 p.m. Dinner, Faculty Club, MacAlister Hall, 6th Floor

7:00 p.m. Keynote Presentation: Ronald Unterman, Ph.D., Vice President, Technology Development, Envirogen, Inc., "Using Bacteria to Clean Up Toxic Chemicals in Soil, Water and Air"