Projects

As a scientific user facility, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) provides expertise, instrumentation, and resources to 250 projects each year.

Projects displayed below reflect information and abstracts that were published before April 30, 2024. To review current EMSL user projects, visit Science Central™.

Determining mechanisms and rates of microbial plastic biodegradation and the consequences for freshwater carbon cycling

Lead Institution

University of Michigan

Principal Investigator

Melissa Duhaime

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

In recent years, plastic litter has been documented in widespread and diverse marine, freshwater, and even aeolian biomes. It is estimated that 4.8-12.7 million tons of plastics enters the ocean in a…

Coupling X-ray Computed Tomography images with ModEx inspired laboratory manipulation experiment for predicting greenhouse gas fluxes from Terrestrial-Aquatic Interfaces

Lead Institution

Emory University

Principal Investigator

Debjani Sihi

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

The Terrestrial Aquatic Interfaces (TAIs) with dynamic hydrological exchange represent the most biogeochemically active and diverse systems. Frequent hydrological oscillations due to tidal…

Characterizing role of particle-water in processing of biomass burning emissions and SOA formation

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

ManishKumar Shrivastava

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed by multiphase chemical reactions in the atmosphere greatly contribute to fine particulate matter and organic aerosols (OA). Despite mounting evidence, aqueous-…

Influence of Adsorbed Organic Acids on Soil Mineral Wettability

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

John Loring

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Soil wettability is dictated by the extent to which hydrophilic mineral surfaces are covered by hydrophobic soil organic carbon (SOC) from bacterial decomposition, decaying plant matter, or root…

Understanding Mechanisms Coupling the Fates of Iron Oxides, Organic Matter, and Micronutrient Metals at Redox Hot Spots

Lead Institution

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Kevin Rosso

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Iron (oxyhydr)oxide minerals are ubiquitous in soils and sediments and play an commanding role in nutrient cycling, microbial metabolism, carbon protection, and contaminant immobilization. Among them…

Waterborne Plastics Environmental Weathering Leachates

Lead Institution

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Benjamin Maurer

Project type

Large-Scale EMSL Research

Aquatic plastics pollution is anticipated to triple globally by 2040, and many of the effects of aquatic plastics and associated degradation products and contaminants are hitherto unknown. This…