We are collaborating with a diverse group of scientists from the Department of Oceanography to understand how Galveston Bay’s ecosystem is affected by extreme events such as hurricanes and chemical spills. Particularly, we are interested in the distribution of emerging contaminants such as per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCP). This project is funded by the Galveston Bay Estuary Program (GBEP) of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Each year, various amounts of tarballs are found on the Texas coast. We combine state-of-the-art analytical chemistry and data science pipeline to answer:

1. What is the chemical composition of tarballs collected in different seasons at the Texas coast?

2. Can we detect similarities between tarballs collected at different locations and times?

3. Can we locate probable sources and understand their degradation processes?

This work is funded by the Texas General Land Office (TGLO).

The Ozone Hole, i.e., the depletion of our protective ozone layer, is caused by various catalytic reactions involving chlorine and bromine atoms in the stratosphere. The main contributors to the atmospheric chlorine and bromine are human-made compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), from refrigerants and aerosol propellants, etc. But, do you know that there is a significant natural source of atmospheric halogenated organic compounds (or halocarbons)? These compounds are produced by marine microorganisms and through halogenation of organic matter. As the anthropogenic halocarbons are being phased out under the Montreal Protocol, it becomes increasingly important to understand the natural production of atmospherically important halocarbons. We combine biology and advanced analytical chemistry to understand how and why nature produces these interesting compounds that play a role in ozone depletion.

Oil does not mix with water? Well, at least a small fraction of crude oil does. Polar compounds (containing heteroatoms like N, S, and O) only constitute a minor fraction of crude oil, but they preferentially partition to the aqueous phase. As such, polar compounds become the dominant fraction in seawater in a marine oil spill. Also, as the crude oil weathers in the environment, the proportion of polar compounds increases. Also, they are potentially more toxic and more resistant to biodegradation degradation. Because the polar compounds in crude oil are not “visible” in the traditional analytical methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, their chemical composition is poorly understood. We use targeted and untargeted analytical methods and biological analyses to understand: (1) the molecular-level chemical composition of the polar fraction in crude oil, and (2) their fate and environmental impacts.