Blogs

This week began with a shift in focus from last week.  While last week I was measuring the particle size of standardized latex beads, this week I was able to take measurements on water samples from local streams and ponds.  On Monday an ASE high school intern began working in Dr. Tratnyek's lab as well.  She has been very helpful in assisting me with data collection and analysis of the data.

Another week gone.  I have no idea where this summer has gone!  This week I learned about my specific project and its place within the overarching CMOP research. 

My project is called "Nitrification Potential and Niche Diversification of Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea in Columbia River sediment."  In a nutshell, I will be quantifying levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate as well as levels of archaea and look for a relationship between the two.  It is my understanding that we will be setting up microcosms and measuring the values at set time intervals over the course of the rest of the summer.  Obviously, CMOP is focused on the Columbia River/Pacific Ocean interface and there is a lot of research involving nutrient cycling.  This project ties directly in that line of research because ammonia oxidation is the first and rate limiting step of nitrification.  Until recently, ammonia oxidation was only thought to be done by beta and gamma proteobacteria, but archaea has been shown to contaim the amoA gene that codes for ammonia oxidation.  Because archaea are so ubiquitious in the environment, the extent of their contribution to the global nitrogen cycle is important and a thriving area of research.

My journey at CMOP thus far has been outstanding. I have been able to take part in the large-scale process of using models to predict the effects on the habitat opportunity for juvenile Chinook slamonoids in the Columbia estuary. I have been able to analyze data and compare it to our model predictions, trying to figure out where the model lacks. I will soon be able to connect with the near by tribes and pass our knowledge on to them through meaningful interactions and discussion. This is yet another part within the vision, but another step towards a vision come true. 

One word: Wow!

Before starting this internship I did not appreciate the truth of how quickly the first week would pass. There is a false sense of security that comes with having 40 hours to complete one seemingly simple task. And, as with any new adventure, trial and error has become a common theme with my science thus far.

During the next 9 weeks our group (Dr. Rick Johnson, Amanda Mather, and I) will be looking at the transport of particles, such as nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI), through granular media (commonly known as sand). Now reader, if you have made it this far in my blog, you may be asking yourself: Why do I care about the movement of particles through sand? To that I would answer that one interesting application is the use of NZVI slurries as an in situ treatment of contaminated groundwater.