Aquatic / Industrial Toxicology Laboratory Image Gallery ******Technical Reports*************Presentations In December, 1982, the Institute for Environmental Studies was reorganized as an applied research group focusing on establishing environmental toxicology and environmental management laboratories to address regional environmental problems. When hired in January, 1983, Dr. Portier was given the task of not only working with his colleagues in implementing a graduate program in environmental toxicology but also converting a basement classroom into an aquatic microbiology/toxicology laboratory. With aggressive grantsmanship, the Aquatic Microbiology/Toxicology Laboratory today is maturing into a state-of-the-art laboratory to address state and industry problems. The focus of the laboratory is regional, namely addressing associated with industrial effluents, contaminated ground water, and hazardous wastes in the lower Mississippi River delta. However, the laboratory has and is continuing to conduct research in some 31 other states and 7 foreign countries (Poland, Mexico, Ecuador, England, France, Canada, Argentina). Current equipment inventory includes gas and liquid chromatography systems, environmental shakers, an environmental room, a microcosm (laboratory simulation) room, two 20-l fermentation pilot plants (with computer control), an ATP photometer, a diode array spectrophotometer, polarography analyzer, liquid scintillators, carbon oxidizer systems, six field immobilized microbe pilot demonstration plants, (worth approximately $650,000) laminar flow hoods, tiered orbit shakers, Zeiss microscopes, an ultracold freezer, an RC5B superspeed centrifuge and an L7-55 ultracentrifuge. Additional laboratory equipment includes computers, small fermenters, aerobic and anaerobic incubators, refrigerators, freezers, etc. Current inventory exceeds $2,975,000.00. The laboratory has received several commendations from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and has been providing laboratory and field assistance to the petrochemical industry and fisheries along the Gulf coast in addressing environmental problems. Findings from this laboratory have been summarized in articles in the following publications: Readers Digest, The Economist, Cousteau Journal, Omni, Pollution Engineering, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and National Geographic Videotape presentations have been shown on Mr. Wizard, Beyond 2000 (Discovery Channel) and Louisiana Public Broadcasting. Findings from this laboratory have also been aired by local ABC, NBC, PBS and CBS affiliates. Major areas of research interests Microbiology/microbial physiology of extreme marine environments; environmental toxicology of impacted coastal wetland microenvironments; remediation approaches for contaminated water and soils/sediments; risk assessment of xenobiotics on detrital-based food systems and dependent fisheries. Dr Portier's research group has focused on alleviating the problems associated with industrial activity in coastal estuarine environments. Current research areas include evaluation of fate and effect of potential carcinogens in aquatic and marine environments, the evaluation of microorganisms for detoxification of contaminated soils and sediments and the development of new technologies using immobilized bacteria for the continuous detoxification of trace contaminants in typical industrial effluents. The laboratory has worked extensively in the area of seafood microbiology focusing on wastewater treatment and waste food grade product usage. Graduate and Undergraduate Courses Developed by Dr Portier: Undergraduate Courses Taught ENVS 1000 Environmental Science and Technology Graduate Courses Developed and Taught ENVS 4010 Applied Ecology ENVS 7110 Toxicology of Aquatic Environments ENVS 7110W (taught at Waterways Exp. Station, U.S. Army) ENVS 7112 Toxicology of Marine Environments ENVS 7950a Microcosm Theory ENVS 7950b Approaches to Environmental Risk Assessment ENVS 8000 Thesis Research Special Lectures in Aquatic Toxicology MRSC 4090 Marine Microbiology FDSC 7010 Food Toxicology ECH 7306 Veterinary Medicine and Community Health MRSC 7020 Marine Microbial Ecology MBIO 7920 Advanced Seminars in Microbiology Theses/Dissertations Directed 66 theses directed and completed (1, NSF minority fellowship, 9 Fulbright, 1 United Nations fellowship, 1 NASA internship, 1 Smithsonian internship) 9 theses currently under direction 100+ graduate committees Laboratory Awards (awards to Dr Portier and his research team) Johns Manville Corporation International Research Excellence Award Recipient, 1987. George W. Goethals Medal, 1988 Recipient, The Society of American Military Engineers, Presented at the Society Annual Meeting, April 28, 1988, Atlanta, GA (Highest technical merit award to an engineer or scientist in memory of the builder of the Panama Canal). Certificate of Merit , American Chemical Society , Best Technical Presentation, Division of Environmental Chemistry, Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, June 7, 1988. Certificate of Recognition, Phi Delta Kappa, for environmental research. Acknowledged in the Congressional Record, March 23, 1989. Best Innovative Technology in Pollution Engineering Award, 1988: To Manville Corporation and Louisiana State University By Pollution Engineering, for the immobilized microbe bioreactor waste water treatment system. Certificate of appreciation. United States Coast Guard, Region 6 Regional Response Team. Bioremediation seminar programs, February 5, 1992. Finalist. Construction Man Of The Year Award. Engineering News Record. Presented February 12, 1992, Plaza Hotel, New York City for development of a wood recycling facility for creosote and other treated wood products. Governor's Award, 1992. Developing environmental education programs for high school teachers. The Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program (School Science Education Reform). Presented March 18, 1992 by Governor Edwin Edwards, State Capital. Innovator of the Year Award, 1992. The Louisiana Partnership for Technology and Innovation. Presented November 18, 1992. Baton Rouge, LA. 1996 American Forest & Paper Association Environmental and Energy Achievement Award. Presented to Rayonier Corporation (with Law Engineering, Atlanta,Ga. And Louisiana State University, Aquatic/IndustrialToxicology Laboratory) for Southern Wood Piedmont’s Instructional material—multimedia, electronic, et cetera Videotape Master Minds Series. 1988. "Tiger Bugs" Louisiana Public Broadcasting(LPB). Sponsored by Atlantic Richfield. LPB Environmental Science Series 1990. "Bioremediation, Approaches in the Classroom" Satellite Lecture Program to Gulf South High Schools (LA, MS, AL, FL,TX, AK). "Catalysis: For A Clean Environment" 1993Council for Chemical Research and the National Academy of Sciences. Bo Bodart Productions, Santa Clara, CA. Technical Advisor. “Quick Response Systems for Oil Spills”. 1995. Lockheed Martin Presentation to Congress, Congressional Joint Sub-Committee on Marine Biotechnology December 11, 1995 Beyond 2000 Series. Niki Hamilton, Producer. Story on the Microterra wood recycling plant, Discovery Channel. September, 1997 LPB Series Enviro-Tacklebox Module 1. Links science and emerging technologies to environmental health issues “A Biofilm’s Bio” (Portier biofilm research featured in presentation) LPB Series Enviro-Tacklebox Module 5. Environmental Processes & Cycles “Rotten but not forgotten” (Portier bioremediation and oil spill work featured in presentation). 2005 Winner NETA Instructional Award Laboratory Practicum For Science Teachers/Students The Aquatic Microbiology/Toxicology Laboratory is a small but compact laboratory wherein specific problems in waste detoxification are being addressed. It is an excellent learning environment for high school and middle school science teachers to "see" and "do" science. To date, 21 teachers from 9 parishes in Louisiana have worked during summer semesters in our laboratory. They have had opportunities to participate in ongoing research, learned how to run lab equipment, and conduct independent research. The laboratory has also employed several disadvantaged high school students from the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. Four of these students have placed in the state science fair and two have participated in international competition. In 1992, the laboratory was awarded a NSF/LaSip grant for training workshops for junior high and high school science teachers. This 2-year program enrolled 36 teachers in summer institutes taught at the University Lab School. A laboratory science book is in preparation. Major areas of research interests Microbiology/microbial physiology of extreme marine environments; environmental toxicology of impacted coastal wetland microenvironments; remediation approaches for contaminated water and soils/sediments; risk assessment of xenobiotics on detrital-based food systems and dependent fisheries. Dr Portier's research group has focused on alleviating the problems associated with industrial activity in coastal estuarine environments. Current research areas include evaluation of fate and effect of potential carcinogens in aquatic and marine environments, the evaluation of microorganisms for detoxification of contaminated soils and sediments and the development of new technologies using immobilized bacteria for the continuous detoxification of trace contaminants in typical industrial effluents. The laboratory has worked extensively in the area of seafood microbiology focusing on wastewater treatment and waste food grade product usage. Patents US Patent # 4,775,650 "Decontamination of Streams" R.J. Portier and Louisiana State University., Oct 4,1988. A process for removing metal and toxic organic compounds from industrial effluents and ground waters by means of a polymer complexed to a porous surface media. U.S .Patent # 4,859,594 "Immobilization of Microorganisms" R. J. Portier and Louisiana State University , August 22, 1989. A reactor design for the continuous biological treatment of concentrated and dilute organics by utilizing adapted microbial populations fixed to a porous inert surface. U.S .Patent # 4,882,066 "Decontamination of Streams" . R.J. Portier and Louisiana State University. Awarded 11/21/89 A mechanism of microbe isolation, adaption and fixing to an inert porous surface. U.S .Patent # 5,021,088 "Biohydrometallurgical Processing of Ores, And Microorganisms Therefor. Inventor: Ralph J. Portier. Date of Patent: June 4, 1991. 20 claims. U.S. Patent # 5,211, 848 "Process for the microbial detoxification of toxic streams. Inventor: Ralph J. Portier and David D. Friday. Date of Patent : May 18, 1993 9 claims U.S. Patent # 5,240,598 "A microbubble generator for the transfer of oxygen to microbial inocula and microbubble generator immobilized cell reactor. " R.J. Portier and M Huazhong. Awarded Aug 31, 1993. An improved microbubble generator for the continuous aeration of bioreactors with 0.5µ diameter air bubbles. U.S. Patent # 5,534,143. "A microbubble generator for the transfer of oxygen to microbial inocula and microbubble generator immobilized cell reactor." R. J. Portier and M Huazhong. Awarded July 9,1996. An improved microbubble generator/combination bioreactor for the continuous aeration of bioreactors with 0.5µ diameter air bubbles. Provisional patent application: “Extraction of collagen from calcified tissues” J. Losso, M. Ogawa, R. Portier , M. Moody and M. Schexnayder (April 16, 2004).