In the state of Texas, groundwater resources are utilized for irrigation, mining, municipal use, manufacturing, livestock and steam electric. Over the past 20 years however, there have been shifts and significant trends in groundwater pumpage that can be attributed to changes in annual precipitation, drought, declining industries, and the status of livestock. A multi-year GIS analysis was conducted to analyze trends in Texas Groundwater and the overall factors that impacted pumpage.

This project will map 2,000-4,000 rare plant species found in Texas. Most of these species have geocoordinates, with some only down to the county-level. These georeferenced plants will be overlaid on to soil type, precipitation, and land development, topography, and ecosystem type maps. This analysis will explain why these habitats are ideal for the rare plants in Texas. Understanding the habitats of these rare plants is important in preserving endangered botanical species. This could lead to a better understanding of this rare biota.

On average, Americans generate about 11.4 million kilograms of spent coffee grounds per day. That is an equivalent weight of a thousand full-size school buses, every day. Most of this coffee is discard, where it eventually ends up in a landfill. However, if recycled or reused this commonly discarded material has many potential uses including as a pest repellent or garden fertilizer. Another use is as a sorbent to remove water contaminants. This means that coffee grounds have the potential to be used as a key component in carbon-based water filters. Evidence from recent research conducted in our laboratory at Texas Christian University shows that charred coffee grounds can effectively remove lead contamination from water. My research will further this work by identifying 1) the specific properties of charred coffee grounds that allows for the removal of lead from water and 2) the optimal temperature for producing charred coffee grounds for water filtration. With the use of infrared spectroscopy and other materials characterization techniques, I will study the properties of charred coffee grounds produced from regular Folgers coffee and an Ethiopian-blend at 250 ℃, 350 ℃, and 450 ℃.

BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), and specifically benzene, have been linked to cancer in humans. This project will allow me to develop a map to quantify risk of cancer based the amount of BTEX compounds that have been determined to be in the air. Air pollutant data was gathered by TCEQ using automated gas chromatographs. I collected this data for different monitoring stations in the DFW area in order to compare the differences with Houston. This data was then used to create a map in ArcGIS in order to visualize higher pollution areas. The contaminant levels will then be used with the recommended health exposure levels in order to create a map of risk corridors. This is useful information as it allows individuals to be aware of their personal exposure to these compounds based on the time spent in an area.

Nitrate contamination of groundwater in the Seymour Aquifer is a well-known issue that has been documented since the 1960's. Concentrations as high as 35 ppm NO3-N have been reported, which is a startling 3.5 times the EPA allowable standard for drinking water. While most water from the Seymour Aquifer is used for agricultural irrigation, a portion is still used for domestic purposes and therefore poses a risk to human health. While this problem may have been recognized, the specific source of this contamination remains unknown. Three potential sources of nitrate within the aquifer are being considered in this study—the geological makeup of the aquifer, the agricultural contribution of nitrate from fertilizers, and the historical land use change of the area above the aquifer. My research will combine various analytical and geospatial technologies in order to 1) assess the evolution of groundwater in the Seymour Aquifer since the 1960's, and 2) to determine the source of the high concentrations of nitrate in domestic wells situated on the aquifer. Readily available groundwater quality data from the Texas Water Development Board will be used in conjunction with geospatial analysis and chemical analysis to identify changes in the aquifer's water quality over time. Nitrogen and Oxygen stable isotopic analysis will be used to determine the source of the contaminant. After a thorough analysis of the site area via the aforementioned methods and technologies, a thorough portrait that depicts the source of nitrate contamination in Texas's Seymour Aquifer ought to be painted.