Lee Blaney: Performing Research that Transforms Lives
Doctoral student Lee Blaney is using using an advanced water treatment process to remove pharmacologically active compounds from drinking water.
The presence of pharmacologically active compounds (PhACs) and other trace organic compounds (personal care products, pesticides, and plasticizers, among others) in wastewater, rivers, streams, groundwater, and finished drinking water is thought to have negative consequences on human health.
While it is certain that PhACs have been shown to have particularly devastating effects on the environment, little research exists on the human health effects they may cause. Doctoral candidate Lee Blaney is working to ensure that PhACs are removed from drinking water supplies before they cause harm.
To remove these contaminants from drinking water, he is using an advanced water treatment process called ozonation. In this process, ozone and hydroxyl radicals (an ozone degradation product) attack the pharmaceutical and instigate changes in the chemical structure. To quantify pharmacological activity, the research team uses bioassays to determine the potency of pharmaceuticals in a water source.
Ultimately, Lees research will determine how pharmaceuticals are transformed during ozonation processes and how the residual pharmacological activity changes throughout treatment. This research is expected to provide not only a powerful tool for quantifying the pharmacological activity of waters containing a multitude of PhACs but also a robust means of ensuring treatment efficacy.
Lee was part of a research group that received recognition for their work on arsenic removal in India and safe containment of the arsenic-laden waste product.
Lee comes to UT CAEE from Pennsylvania, where he was born and raised. He attended Lehigh University, earning his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Environmental Engineering. Under the leadership of Dr. Arup Sengupta, his research group won the Silver Prize in the National Academy of Engineerings Grainger Challenge, a scientific competition in which participants seek to find an economical way to remove arsenic from arsenic-contaminated groundwater. The team was recognized for their treatment system, a gravity fed adsorption unit mounted directly onto a well which does not require electricity or chemicals. Currently, over 200,000 people in the Indian subcontinent are benefitting from these units. To this day, one of Lees proudest accomplishments is being a part of a project that continues to help so many people.
After receiving his M.S. degree, he was part of the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) working at the Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES) in Beijing, China through a National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowship. Lee viewed his NSF Graduate Research Fellowship as his ticket to the top programs in the country and began the process of finding the right institution to meet his educational goals.
"After visiting several schools, I knew that UT was the right place for me", he says. "The research is top-notch, the people are extremely friendly and outgoing, and the department feels like a family."
"Before applying to UT CAEE", says Lee, "I contacted Dr. Desmond Lawler to express my interest in the program. His response blew me away he wrote an extensive email detailing his background, the research projects of each of his students, and why I would fit in nicely here. And after visiting and meeting Dr. Lynn Katz, I knew that I wanted to be co-advised by this awesome pair of people, and so began my journey. During the past three years, my advisors have been extremely supportive, while still pushing me to succeed. Overall, the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE) program is full of amazing people. There is a true sense of colleagueship, and I love being able to interact with so many intelligent people on a daily basis."
He is guided to the next water supply in Blantyre, Malawi where he helped map water sources.
Lee has received two major fellowships during his time at the department - the University Fellowship and the THRUST Fellowship. He also applies his knowledge and fuels his love of travel through volunteer work in his field. In January 2010, he volunteered for Water For People, an international, non-profit organization that provides long-lasting, safe drinking water resources and improved sanitation facilities to the developing world. Lee went on a two-week long assessment trip to Blantyre, Malawi, where he worked with Water For People Malawi staff, local interns, and other volunteers to map water sources and conduct surveys regarding access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities in 21 low-income areas. With this data, the Blantyre Water Board is now better equipped to make decisions regarding development of new water and sanitation infrastructure.
Lee and several other EWRE graduate students are also active in intramural sports, working together outside of the lab playing soccer, softball, basketball and football. He is also on the Board of Directors and is Secretary of Wheatsville Co-Op, a member-owned grocery store with a community focus. He views this commitment as a great learning experience and encourages more young people and engineers to run for similar positions.
After finishing his Ph.D. next year, he plans to become a university professor. "I love the academic environment", he says, "and believe I could succeed in both aspects of being a university professor - teaching and research. I suppose you could say that my future goal is to stay in school forever."