Brendan Bishop
MSc. Candidate University of Alberta
BRENDAN BISHOP
My Research
Geobiology
I am interested in studying the surface reactivity of cyanobacteria and dissolved organic carbon and the effects they exert on the cycling and bioavailability of bioessential trace elements in marine settings. By using a surface complexation modelling approach, we are able to quantify the effects of adsorption on marine trace metal budgets which has considerable effects on trace element bioavailability and the marine biosphere.
Remediation
Trace elements including Cr, Cd, and U in environmental systems pose serious risks to both human health and water quality. Using magnetite nano-particle/biochar composites, we have shown increased efficiency of Cr(IV) reduction in water samples compared to magnetite nano-particles alone. We've also began investigating the remediation potential of biochar/biofilm composites for removal of Cr from wastewater. Both of these techniques employ lost-cost alternatives to current heavy-metal remediation techniques.
Publications
1. Bishop, B. A., Swaren, L., Alam, Md. S., Safarimohsenabad, S., Alessi, D. S., Konhauser, K. O. (in prep). Surface reactivity of cyanobacterial cell lysates: An analogue for dissolved organic carbon.
2. Bishop, B. A., Flynn, S. L., Warchola, T. J., Alam, Md. S., Robbins, L. J., Owttrim, G. W., Alessi, D. S., Konhauser, K. O. (in prep). Adsorption of biologically critical trace elements to the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002: Implications for marine trace metal cycling.
3. Alam, Md. S., Bishop, B. A., Chen, N., Safarimohsenabad, S., Warter, V., Byrne, J., Warchola, T., Kappler, A., Konhauser, K. O., Alessi, D. S. (in prep). Magnetite nanoparticles-biochar composites for highly efficient removal of chromium.
4. Alam, Md. S., Swaren, L., von Gunten, K., Cossio, M., Bishop, B. A., Robbins, L. J., Hou, D., Flynn, S. L., Ok, Y. S., Konhauser, K. O., Alessi, D. S. (2017). Application of surface complexation modeling to trace metals uptake by biochar-amended agricultural soils. Applied Geochemistry. 88, 103-112.
5. Warchola, T. J., Flynn, S. L., Robbins, L. J., Gauger, T., Kovalchuk, O., Alam, Md. S., Wei, S., Myers, R., Bishop, B. A., Lalonde, S. V., Gingras, M. K., Kappler, A., Alessi, D. S., Konhauser, K. O. (2017). Field- and Lab-Based Potentiometric Titrations of Microbial Mats from the Fairmont Hot Spring, Canada. Geomicrobiology Journal. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2017.1282557