Abinash Agrawal, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biogeochemistry

Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
268 Brehm Lab
Wright State University
3640 Colonel Glenn Highway
Dayton, OH 45435

E-mail:
Office phone: (937) 775-3452
Dept phone: (937) 775-2201
Dept fax: (937) 775-4997

Courses Taught

Dr. Agrawal's teaching includes a sequence of two courses for an in-depth study of the sources and fate of contaminants in the groundwater and its remediation techniques.

Fall Semester

• EES 4570/6570: Site Remediation and Management, 3 Credit Hrs (Pre-requisite: EES 4560/6560)

Spring Semster

• EES 4560/6560: Ground Water Contamination, 3 Credit Hrs

Research

Dr. Agrawal's research interests include the chemical and biological treatment techniques for aquifers contaminated with organic pollutants. His research has been on bench-scale and field-scale investigations in the following area:

1. Treatment of Contaminated Ground Water by Nano-Scale and Granular Metallic Reductants:
   
   Bench-scale investigations of the treatment of groundwater contaminated with nitro aromatic compounds or NAC (nitrotoluenes, in particular), chlorinated hydrocarbons or CHCs (e.g., perchloroethene, trichloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, chlorinated phenols), and nitrate through their reaction with metallic reductants. The destruction of CHCs by iron metal (zero-valent iron or ZVI), bimetallic (Pd/Fe) catalyst, and noble metal catalyst (palladium) in bench-scale systems have been investigated.
2. Destruction of Groundwater Pollutants (chlorinated ethenes) by Constructed Wetlands:
   
   Dr. Agrawal's research has emphasized the characterization of biogeochemical processes in a constructed wetland designed for the treatment of chlorinated solvents and other organic pollutants in groundwater. He is studying a vertical-flow wetland constructed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (and its simulations in mesocosms in a greenhouse) to evaluate the degradation potential of persistent organic pollutants in the wetland.

Current Students

• Adam Burdsall, MS Candidate (2013): Characterization of Abiotic (Mineral-Mediated) Abiotic Processes in Terrestrial Greenhouse Gas (N2O) Production
  Terrestrial systems are major sources and sinks of CO2 and N2O that are Greenhouse gases (GHG). While biotic processes are commonly accepted as the major drivers of GHG production and consumption, the role of abiotic (i.e. physical, chemical or photochemical) processes is much less clear, but might be much more important than currently anticipated. Adam BUrdsall's MS thesis research aims at research into abiotic denitrification reactions by its reaction with soil minerals, particularly iron oxides, leading to N2O production.
  
  A poster entitled ABIOTIC REDUCTION OF NITRITE AND NITRATE BY CHEMOGENIC MAGNETITE NANOPARTICLES: IMPLICATIONS IN NITROGEN CYCLING AND GREENHOUSE GAS PRODUCTION" was presented at the Geologica Society of America meeting in November 4-7, 2012 at Charlotte, NC.

• Leslie Williams, MS Candidate (2013):
  MS Thesis Topic: Transport Behavior and Reactivity of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron Stabilized with Carboxymethylcellulose in Flow-Through Reactors
  
  Nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) particles can be used for in situ destruction of chlorinated organic compounds found in groundwater that are major contaminants. This can be accomplished by injection of nZVI slurry into a contaminated aquifer, which results in the degradation of organic contaminants through reductive dechlorination.  However, the movement of nZVI in aquifer upon injections may depend on several factors including its effective size since nZVI tends to agglomerate due to inter-particle attraction. Amending the nZVI slurry with a surface modifier such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) can reduce inter-particle attraction and attachment to aquifer solids through electrosteric repulsion, and may make them mobile.
  
  A poster entitled "TRANSPORT BEHAVIOR AND REACTIVITY OF NANOSCALE ZERO VALENT IRON STABILIZED WITH CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE SIMULATED UNDER AQUIFER CONDITIONS IN 1-D REACTOR" was presented at at the Geologica Society of America meeting in November 4-7, 2012 at Charlotte, NC.

• Fang Yu, MS Candidate (2013)

• Christopher Cushman, MS Candidate (2014)

• Ke Qin, PhD Candidate (2014).
  
  Wetlands have been known to degrade nutrients and other common contaminants in wastewater and groundwater by natural attenuation processes. This study evaluates the degradation potential of various haoleganted aliphatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) in the root zone of wetland plant species in batch and flow-through reactors. The study focuses on the role of ammonia-oxidizing and methane-oxidizing microorganisms that are naturally associated within the root zone of wetland plants, which may facilitate aerobic cometabolic oxidation of HAHs.
  
  A poster entitled "BENCH-SCALE DEGRADATION OF CHLORINATED COMPOUNDS IN THE ROOT ZONE OF WETLAND PLANT SCIRPUS ATROVIRENS" was presented at the Geologica Society of America meeting in November 4-7, 2012 at Charlotte, NC.

• Bo Wang , PhD Student (Started fall 2012)