ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
Research Focus
The McNamara Research Group, directed by Assistant Professor Patrick McNamara, Ph.D., at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., focuses on understanding how chemicals from consumer products impact public health and the environment once they pass down the drain and through treatment plants.
Specifically, the research group is studying how these chemicals impact the engineering treatment processes that rely on healthy bacteria to treat water and is working to develop non-traditional treatment processes to remove these chemicals from water and mitigate their effects in the natural environment. Ultimately, by protecting environmental health, we can better protect public health.
Specific Research Interests
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Understanding impact of consumer product chemicals on wastewater treatment bacteria.
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Removal of chemicals via drinking water or wastewater treatment
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Environmental antibiotic resistant bacteria (superbugs)
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Beneficial biosolids reuse from wastewater treatment
CURRENT RESEARCH
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Antimicrobial resistance
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Drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment
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PFAS
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Electrochemical treatment processes
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Activated sludge foaming
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Residuals and biosolids treatment
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Pyrolysis