RESEARCH CONDUCTED
- Establishment of a Corrosion Laboratory
With funding from INEEL and other sources, a corrosion testing laboratory was developed in the Mechanical & Materials Engineering Department. I mentored Godfrey Nurse (African American, Doctoral Candidate, currently employed at FSU), George Eirie (African American, who now has a Ph.D. from UF) and Narada Bradman (African American, who also now has a Ph.D. from UF).
PRESENTATIONS DERIVED FROM RESEARCH PROJECTS
- N. Munroe, G. Nurse, S. Gallocher, G. Gonzalez, “Biocompatibility of Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloys in Vitro”, Proceedings for Materials & Processes for Medical Devices Conference, Sept. 8-10, 2003, Anaheim, California.
- N. Munroe, G. Nurse, S. Gallocher and G. Gonzalez, “Repassivation Potential of Radiologically Doped Shape Memory Alloys in Vitro”, Proceedings for Materials & Processes for Medical Devices Conference, Sept. 8-10, 2003, Anaheim, California
- G. Eirie and N. Munroe, Poster Presentation. "Effects of Acid Concentration on The Corrosion Rate of Al-6160", July 27-30, 2000 LS CO-AMP National Research Conference 2000.
- G. Eirie and N. Munroe, December 1, 2000 LS FL-GA-AMP 7th Annual Scientific Conference.
- G. Eirie and N. Munroe, January 4-7, 2001 LS FL-GA-AMP Research Conference 2001. Engineering.
2. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ($19,377) June 1, 1995 to May 30, 1996 (Principal Investigator) Title: "Environmental Justice for the High-Risk Population-Community Outreach Initiative."
The incidence of lead-based paint exposure in low-income communities was investigated in this project by working with two teachers and students at two middle schools. A survey was designed for the collection of data on lead poisoning and distributed in the schools and into the communities.
| Name | Affiliation | Title |
| Eddie Jordan | Edison Middle School | Science Teacher |
| Artie Sinkfield | Brownsville Middle School | Science Teacher |
Risk Communication/Outreach to Low-Income and Racial Minority Communities
Workshops were held for training of teachers, college students and volunteers about the hazards of indoor air pollutants such as asbestos, lead-based paint and radon. Each participant was also instructed on how to distribute the surveys and to collect correct and complete information. A total of about 500 students and parents participated in the survey. Sampling of soil and paint debris in households were conducted by 200 students from the aforementioned schools. The results of the survey are discussed in the following report. The samples collected in this investigation are presently being analyzed.
3. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ($8,180) June 1, 1994 to May 30, 1995 (Principal Investigator). Title: "Outreach to the High-Risk Population for Environmental Equity."
This project commenced in June, 1994 with the objective of investigating incidences, and the mode of occurrence of lead poisoning in low income communities. This was accomplished by training two lead teachers in workshops for the distribution of "Enviro-Link" surveys, throughout the respective schools for dissemination into the local communities. Teachers, parents and students (Grades 4-8) were educated on issues regarding indoor pollutants such as lead-based paint, radon and asbestos.
This project has directly impacted the local community because it has made them aware of environmental issues that affect their lives. In the long term, young people may prepare for careers that can effect change in environmental public policy, resulting in action to address these issues. The project is still in progress as a result of increased funding from the EPA (see item No. 8.) and will be completed in May of 1996. There is one graduate and one undergraduate student involved in this research.
The following report summarizes the findings of the survey conducted. The samples taken in this investigation are also being analyzed.
4. Southern University, Baton Rouge/United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ($5,250) August 4, 1992 to September 30, 1993 (Principal Investigator). Title: "Outreach in Environmental Restoration and Waste Management to Minority, Communities."
Two lead teachers with environmental interests from middle school (Grades 4-8) were identified and trained to utilize a manual of hands-on lessons on environmental science. These lessons were integrated into existing curriculum. A total of 30 participants were trained in workshops. Approximately 240 students are benefitting from the lessons on environmental restoration and waste management.
5. Clark Atlanta/USAID ($14,000) May 5, 1992 to June 7, 1992 (Principal Investigator). Title: "Advanced Training in Water and Air Quality Measurements and Instrumental Analysis."
I spent four weeks in Kelwan, an industrial suburb of Cairo, Egypt at the El Tabbin Institute of Metallurgical studies conducting an environmental impact assessment. This investigation involved the collection of air, water and soil samples for chemical analyses. Some of my time was spent training field technicians in quality assurance and quality control techniques in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency standards.
PAPER PRESENTED
Norman D.H. Munroe, "Air Pollution Control," Special Lecture presented at the El Tabbin Institute of Metallurgical Studies (TIMS), Cairo, Egypt, May 16, 1992.
6. Research Conducted During EMCOM Summer Faculty Fellowship
Awards
As a recipient of the EMCOM Summer Faculty Fellowship Awards in 1992 and 1993 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, I conducted research on "Bio-Remediation of Uranium Contaminated Waters”, and mentored minority students from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez during their summer internship.
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, an organism under consideration for use in a biological process for treatment of uranium-contaminated effluents was studied with respect to the mechanism of its sorptive activity. The sorptive activity of Rhizopus Arrhizus, a fungus, suspected to bind dissolved hexavalent uranium, was also studied in order to elucidate and compare possible redox reactions. XPS analyses of both biomass revealed that hexavalent uranium in solution undergo a redox reaction with P. Aeruginosa resulting in a tetravalent product. An hexavalent uranium product was observed with Rhizopus Arrhizus. Uranium binding occurred via a two-step mechanism, in which and initial rapid adsorption was followed by a slower absorption and reductive intracellular precipitation. The rate of uranium absorption was enhanced by prior treatment of the cells by certain organic solvents, possibly due to enhanced permeabilization of the outer membranes. The possibility of photoreduction of uranyl nitrate by electron donating organic materials was studied using UV\Visible spectra. The role of pyoverdine in uranium absorption was also investigated and the spectra obtained of pyoverdine and its iron complex in this investigation were compared with that obtained by other researchers.
PUBLICATIONS DERIVED FROM THIS RESEARCH
1. M.Z.C. Hu, R.E. Ihli, G.F. Bloomingburg, J.M. Norman, N.D.H. Munroe, R. Williams and B.D. Faison, "Biosorption and Biotransformation of Uranium by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa CSU," presented at the Annual Meeting, Society of Industrial Microbiology, Boston, MA, July 30 - August 4, 1994.
2. N.D.H. Munroe, "A Mechanistic Study of the Biosorption of Uranium by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in Proceedings of the 4th Annual WERC Technology Development Conference, April, 1994.
3. N.D.H. Munroe, J. D. Bonner, R. Williams, K. E. Pattison, J. M. Norman, and B. D. Faison, "A Binding of Dissolved Uranium by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa CSU," Poster presented at the 15th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, May 10-14, 1993, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
4. N.D.H. Munroe, "Uranyl Ion Interaction with Membranes of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa," in Proceedings of the 3rd Annual WERC Technology Development Conference, April, 1993.
7. Research on Remediation of Contaminated Soil
Mentored Gregory Hoo, a graduate student. On the Electrokinetic remediation of uranium contaminated soils. This investigation demonstrated the ability to remove heavy metal contaminants and/or radionuclides from unsaturated soil by ionic migration due to electrical fields that induce movement of contaminants.
Mentored Roger Tilleux, an undergraduate student involved the degradation of cycnide in solution by photocatalytic oxidation.
Participation in WERC's 5th Annual Environmental Design Contest
Mentored Richard Davis (African American) and Beatrice Cazanas (Hispanic) who competed in an International Environmental Design Contest, sponsored by the Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) at New Mexico State University. This competition was held during the month of April 10-15, 1994 in Las Cruces, where teams from 26 Universities participated, including such notables as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford and Purdue. Our design utilized an in-situ electrokinetic treatment process, which was original, required low chemical, material and labor costs, as well as little or no excavation and transportation costs. FIU received the highest score for all papers submitted but was unable to achieve adequate removal of contaminants due to the late arrival of a power supply.
PRESENTATIONS DERIVED FROM RESEARCH PROJECTS
- N.D.H. Munroe and G, Hoo, “Electrokinetic Decontamination of Concrete and Porous Media,” paper presented at the Spectrum’96 Nuclear and Hazardous Waste Management International Meeting, Seattle, Washington,August18-23,1996.
- N.D.H. Munroe and R. Tilleux, “Rate Enhancement of Photocatalytic Cyanide Oxidation by Application of Anodic Bias/Coupled Semi-conductor Configuration,” paper presented at Spectrum’96 Nuclear and Hazardous Waste Management International Meeting, Seattle, Washington, August18-23,1996.
- R. Davis, B. Cazanas, W. Conklin, and L. Keith, "Design and Economic Assessment for the Remediation and Reclamation of a Hazardous Waste Site, "Poster and Technical Report for the Padnos Design Competition at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan in June, 1994.
- Norman D.H. Munroe and Laurel Keith, "Electroosmotic Remediation of Heavy Metals," was presented at the Second Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Private Sector DOE Energy R&D Symposium, April 18-22, 1994 in Birmingham, Alabama.
- DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF GLUCOSE – A PRECURSOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NON-INVASIVE DIABETIC MONITOR Mentored Ms. Marisa Henry (African American) as part of the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Summer Research Institute 2004. The objective in this investigation was to develop a noninvasive technique to measure glucose in blood by utilizing the dielectric properties of glucose. This information could be employed to compute dielectric properties from computer simulations of dilute solutions of biological macromolecules (which, in the most general case, are multi-component systems consisting of the biomolecule, water and ions).