In my research I explore the biogeochemical processes occurring at the soil-water-plant interface (a.k.a. the Rhizosphere) and how these processes influence the mobility and bioavailability of trace elements in natural systems. Metals enter the environment from a variety of sources, whether geogenically from metal rich parent materials, or anthropogenically from sources such as metal mining/smelting/refining, military training activities, land application of drinking water or wastewater treatment residues or animal waste applications. Understanding how these metals interact with the numerous inorganic, organic and biological components present within soil is essential to predicting their overall fate and impact on or within the surrounding ecosystem and is the focus of my research.
