Biodynamic Modeling of Legacy and Emerging Contaminants

Speaker:
Dr. Pamela McLeod,
Stanford University,
Civil & Environmental EngineeringAbstract:
Understanding the biological uptake of xenobiotics from contaminated sediment and water remains an important challenge for scientists and engineers. Knowledge of uptake processes and mechanisms enables us to model contaminant bioaccumulation in target species – and also helps us design novel treatment strategies and predict the biological impact of perturbations to natural systems. My research advances biodynamic modeling as a tool to understand the uptake of organic contaminants to a variety of aquatic macro-invertebrates. Specifically, I will discuss uptake of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from contaminated field sediment to two clam species (Macoma balthica and Corbicula fluminea) and a worm (Lumbriculus variegatus). Through biodynamic modeling, I discerned the impact of organism feeding strategy on PCB uptake, and predicted decreases in bioaccumulation after the sediment was amended with activated carbon in the laboratory. Similarly, biodynamic modeling successfully predicted uptake of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) from contaminated field sediment by a mussel (Mytilus edulis) before and after activated carbon amendment. Finally, applying biodynamics to systems with laboratory-spiked perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) and L. variegatus provided insights into the effects of PFC chain length and hydrophobicity on overall uptake and exposure pathways. In addition to these completed studies, I will discuss ongoing work in which we are exploring the ability of biodynamic modeling to (1) predict which types of organisms may recolonize a PCB-contaminated site following sediment remediation, and (2) understand the biological impacts of using PFC-contaminated recycled water for ecosystem restoration.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - rielian Hall 203

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes