Having grown up just North of the Maumee River, a notorious contributor to Lake Erie’s algae blooms, I am deeply familiar with the types of restriction and health hazards produced by environmental contaminants like phosphorus. This experience drives my pursuit of a degree in environmental science at the University of Michigan and informed my decision to select my current research project here in Madison. Learning about phosphorus sorption in groundwater has been important to me because it has given me the opportunity to learn hard skills, in-depth knowledge, and practical techniques that I would otherwise never have been exposed to. However, it has also provided abundant context for the environmental contamination of macronutrients in my own community.
In large part, my work this summer has been focused on characterizing sediment along the Wisconsin River in order to better understand the ways that it interacts with phosphorus in groundwater. Specifically, I have investigated soil for characteristics such as iron content, carbon content, soil pH, and porosity. Running such a broad range of tests helps provide insight into patterns among these soil characteristics, ultimately facilitating stronger hypotheses and more relevant points of analysis as the project continues. For example, phosphorus sorption is correlated with free iron content in soil, so finding high levels of iron tends to indicate lower phosphorus availability in groundwater and surface water. Understanding the interplay between sediment, surface water, groundwater, and their contaminants allows not only environmental scientists and researchers, but those in the wider community, to better understand phosphorus levels in the Wisconsin River and make predictions for impacts to the ecosystems downstream. As the study continues, other chemical factors will be investigated, such as sorption competition between phosphorus and arsenate, a toxic ion containing arsenic, which has its own set of environmental risks.
Finally, over the course of my research here, I have been challenged in ways that I previously had not anticipated, ultimately being provided opportunities for positive growth not only as a researcher, but more broadly as a young professional. In addition to the technical knowledge of extensive lab work, I have become a better communicator, more effective at managing my time, and a more capable independent researcher. Additionally, this growth has been facilitated by the support of my peers and other faculty members. At every junction, I have been reminded that there is an entire community of researchers, writers, professors, and students willing to help me achieve my goals for research and beyond. While I have been discouraged at times by inaccurate data and failure of experiments, the tremendous support of those around me has encouraged me to pursue further research after this experience ends. After I graduate, I hope to attend graduate school and ultimately work in the nonprofit sector. As I reflect on this experience, it is clear that it has allowed me to leave my options open for any kind of research that I may want to pursue going forward.
Written by: Henry Barron, Summer 2024