Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL)

The Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory is a multidisciplinary program that focuses on contributing new knowledge on the distribution, fate, transport, and effects of new and understudied organic compounds that are suspected of causing undesired effects on human health and/or ecosystems. OGRL works independently or collaboratively by investigating the organic contaminant occurrence, distribution, fate, transport, and modification paired with biological indicators when possible to examine integrated effects. The OGRL currently has three main focuses that include investigation of 1) point and nonpoint source assessment of occurrence, fate, transport and effects of pesticides, their degradates, and “inert” ingredients, 2) point and nonpoint source assessment of occurrence, fate, transport, and effects of emerging contaminants, their degradates, and effects, and 3) analytical methods development to support research objectives to study selected organic contaminants in multiple media (e.g. water, wastewater, soil, sediment, manure, biosolids) and to conduct independent and collaborative laboratory, field, watershed scale process studies and regional to national transport studies.