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Email: wfh3@pitt.edu
Phone: (412) 624-9548
Fax: (412) 624-0135
Office: Benedum 203
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Education
- Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California,
Berkeley (2002).
- M.Eng., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
(1993).
- B.S., Civil Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles
(1992).
Current Research
The Harper Research Group is interested in biological processes
for environmental engineering. This includes engineered systems,
such as biological wastewater treatment processes, and also natural
systems such as wetlands and estuaries. Our research combines traditional
approaches, such as mathematical modeling and laboratory-scale experimentation,
with the modern tools from bio- and organic chemistry, including
enzyme assays, NMR, and thin layer chromatography. Research based
on this combination uncovers knowledge and provides exciting opportunities
for interdisciplinary collaboration. Although individual projects
might emphasize experimentation, modeling, or microbiological aspects,
all research involves quantification, the key to making the research
results relevant to engineers. The ongoing research fits within
two themes, emerging water contaminant issues and microbial storage
polymer metabolism.
The emerging water contaminants that are currently being studied
include (among others) synthetic steroids and antibiotics. The overall
goal in this area is to improve understanding of the basic underlying
mechanisms governing their fate and transport. These research results
are expected to be an important part of the foundation needed for
understanding environmental fate of emerging water contaminants.
Previous results by the PI and others place our technical community
in position to provide critical and missing information related
to biodegradation and sorption of emerging water contaminants. With
respect to biodegradation, our research group is studying the biotransformation
of numerous natural and synthetic compounds. With respect to sorption,
our work is defining the fundamental thermodynamic parameters and
is also uncovering a key connection between particle characteristics
and sorption hysteresis.
The microbial storage polymer work has focused on the metabolism
of polyphosphate, glycogen, and exocellular polymeric substances.
The metabolism of these polymers is important in biological processes,
and is related to the dynamic growth conditions encountered by microorganisms
as they compete for substrate, nutrients, and space. The study of
polyphosphate metabolism has particularly broad appeal, because
inorganic polyphosphate is essential for long-term survival and
virulence factors of many human pathogens and other microbial species
growing in extreme environments.
Current and Recent Research Sponsors
- National Science Foundation (CAREER award and unsolicited research
programs)
- Environmental Protection Agency: Science to Achieve Results
Program
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Professional Certification
- Registered Professional Engineer (Environmental), Arizona.
- OSHA 40-hr HAZWOPER Certification.
Recent Publications
- Taewoo Yi and W.F. Harper, Jr. (2009). The effect of nitrate
and sulfate on mediator-less microbial fuel cells with high
internal resistance. Water Environment Research, Vol. 81(11): 2320-2328.
- Willie F. Harper, Jr., Akihiko Terada, Franck Poly, Xavier Le
Roux, Ken Kristensen, Mustafa Mazher, and Barth F. Smets (2009).
The effect of hydroxylamine on the activity and aggregate structure
of autotrophic nitrifying bioreactor cultures. Biotechnology and
Bioengineering, Vol.102(3): 714-724.
- Julia Bower, Kaye S. Savage, Beth Weinman, Mark O. Barnett,
William P. Hamilton, and Willie F. Harper (2008). Immobilization
of mercury by pyrite (FeS2). Environmental Pollution, Vol. 156(2):
504-514.
- Xu, K., Harper, Jr., W.F., and Zhao, D. (2008). 17?-ethinylestradiol
sorption to activated sludge biomass: Thermodynamic properties
and reaction mechanisms, Water Research, Vol. 42(12):3146-3152.
- Xiong, Z, Zhao, D., and Harper, W.F. (2007). Sorption and Desorption
of Perchlorate with Various Classes of Ion-Exchangers: A Comparative
Study, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 46 (26), 9213 -9222.
- Yi, T. and Harper, Jr., W.F. (2007). The link between nitrification
and biotransformation of 17?-ethinylestradiol, Environmental Science
and Technology, Vol. 41(12): 4311-4316.
- Yi, T. and Harper, Jr., W.F. (2007). The effect of biomass particle
characteristics on the partitioning and sorption hysteresis of
17?-ethinylestradiol. Water Research, Vol. 41(7):1543-1553.
Recent Invited Presentations
- W. F. Harper Jr., Energy production in mediator-less microbial fuel
cells with high internal resistance: the effects of nitrate and sulfate,
82nd Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exposition and
Conference, October 2009, Orlando, Fl.
- W.F. Harper, Jr. Transformation mechanisms in biological treatment
processes. Water Environment Federation/ International Water Association
Nutrient Removal Specialty Conference, March 2007, Washington, D.C.
- Aga, D.S. and Harper Jr., W.F. Investigating the connection
between nitrification and the removal of ethinylestradiol, iopromide,
and trimethoprim in engineered bioreactors. Micropol and Ecohazard,
2007, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Harper, Jr., W.F., Sorption and biotransformation of PPCPs in
biological treatment systems, Virginia Polytechnic and State University
,Department of Environmental Engineering Seminar, Blacksburg,
VA, December 2006.
- Harper, Jr., W.F., Enhanced biological phosphorus removal for
industrial wastewater treatment, "77th Annual Water Environment
Federation Technical Exposition and Conference; Workshop #122,
Strategies for achieving low levels of nutrients in wastewater
effluents", New Orleans, LA, October 2004.
- Harper, Jr., W.F., Application of the anaerobic/aerobic process
for treatment of phosphorus-deficient wastewater, 76th Annual
Water Environment Federation Technical Exposition and Conference,
Chicago, Ill., October 2003.
- Harper, Jr., W.F., Anaerobic/anaerobic suspended growth technology,
Northwestern University Minority Lecturer Series, Evanston, Ill.,
June 2003.
Research Grants and Contracts
- Sorption and Biodegradation Processes for Removal of Pharmaceutical
Compounds in Biological Systems. National Science Foundation. April 2006
- May 2011.
- Sensing Soluble Organics with Microbial Fuel Cells Deployed in
an Estuary. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June
2009-May 2012.
- The Biotransformation of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic
Pharmaceuticals and Their Metabolites by Nitrifying and Heterotrophic
Cultures. National Science Foundation. September 2004-August 2009.
News and Notes
- Active Mentor, Pitt EXCEL Summer Research Internship Program; Research
advisor to a recipient of the NERR Graduate Fellowship Award (Yinghua Feng,
2009); International Water Association Micropol and Ecohazard Conference
Committee.
Courses Taught
- CE 2502 Physical/Chemical Principles for Environmental Engineering
- CE 3501 Environmental Engineering Processes I
Awards
- The Pittsburgh Courier FAB 40 Award, 2009
- Auburn University Engineering Alumni Junior Faculty Research Award,
2007
- NSF Faculty Early CAREER Award Recipient, 2006
Link to a personal web page
http://www.engr.pitt.edu/civil/facstaff/harper_willie.html
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