Newcastle University

Introduction

Engineering microbiology often relies on pseudo-theory in the development of descriptive and design tools; however, such methods rarely describe real systems with consistancy. Our work combines methods from engineering, theoretical ecology, mathematics, biochemistry, and molecular biology to solve problems in environmental engineering at a fundamental level. Research topics include biological waste treatment, ecotoxicology, bioremediation, and the environmental fate and impacts of trace and genetic contaminants. Current research projects includes 1) the transmisson, fate and impact of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment resulting from human activity; 2) energy minimization in water, wastewater and solid waste management systems; 3) the microbiology and ecology of greenhouse gas suppression and productiuon in geochemical settings, especially in Polar regions; and 4) water and environmental quality in the developing and emerging world.

Background

1992 PhD - University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
1981 MASc - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
1977 BASc - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Qualifications

1992 PhD - University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
1981 MASc - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
1977 BASc - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Previous Positions

2006-2009 Professor, University of Kansas, USA
2001 Visiting Fellow, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
1999-2006 Associate Professor, University of Kansas, USA
1992-1999 Assistant Professor, University of Kansas, USA
1987-1992 Research Assistant/Associate, University of Arizona, USA
1985-1987 Instructor, Coordinator of Water Resources Option
Civil Engineering Technology, BCIT, Burnaby, CA
1979-1987 Design Engineer/Project Engineer/Contract Consultant, Sigma Resource Consultants, Vancouver, Canada

Memberships

Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (lapsed)
Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Honours and Awards

Adjunct Professor - University of Kansas (Department of Geology)

Research Interests

Environmental engineering
Applied microbiology
Applied biochemistry
Ecological theory in environmental engineering
Ecotoxicology

Current Work

Biogeochemistry and in situ methane oxidation
Fate and migration of antibiotic resistance genes and organisms in receiving waters and sediments
Energy minimization of industrial and domestic waste treatment
Engineering biology and non-linear dynamics
Biogeography of functional genes in nutrient-cycling in urban landscapes

Funding

Role of methanobactin in methane oxidation rates in the presence of mineral copper: Natural Environment Research Council (NERC): £581,763 from Mar 2008 to Feb 2011

ENERMIN - Energy-Use Minimization in Residuals Management in the Personal Care Product Industry; Commission of the European Communities (EU - FP7); £194,000 from August 2008 to July 2012

General and unifying concepts for wastewater treatment plant design; Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); £774,525 from Feb 2008 to Jan 2013

Linking the fundamental concepts of sediment pollution remediation and ecotoxicity for improved engineering designs; Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); £37,161 from Oct 2007 to Jul 2008

ECOSERV - Designed Ecosystem Services for Biological Treatment; Commission of the European Communities (EU - FP6); £1,108,860 from Apr 2006 to Mar 2010

Postgraduate Teaching

CEG8105 - Solid Waste Management
CEG8110 - Practical Hydraulics

• Ahammad SZ, Zealand A, Dolfing J, Mota C, Armstrong DV, Graham DW. Low-energy treatment of colourant wastes using sponge biofilters for the personal care product industry. Bioresource Technology 2013, 129, 634-638.
• Ahammad SZ, Graham DW, Dolfing J. Wastewater Treatment: Biological. In: Jorgensen, SE, ed. Encyclopedia of Environmental Management. Bosa Roca: Taylor & Francis, 2013, pp.2645-2655.
• Ofiteru ID, Ferdes M, Knapp CW, Graham DW, Lavric V. Conditional confined oscillatory dynamics of Escherichia coli strain K12-MG1655 in chemostat systems. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2012, 94(1), 185-192.
• Z Ahammad Sk, Yakubu A, Dolfing J, Mota C, Graham DW. Feasibility tests for treating shampoo and hair colorant wastewaters using anaerobic processes. Water Science and Technology 2012, 65(2), 303-308.
• Olivares-Rieumont S, Lima L, Rivero S, Graham DW, Alonso-Hernandez C, Bolano Y. Mercury Levels in Sediments and Mangrove Oysters, Crassostrea rizophorae, from the North Coast of Villa Clara, Cuba. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2012, 88(4), 589-593.
• Knapp CW, Lima L, Olivares-Rieumont S, Bowen E, Werner D, Graham DW. Seasonal variations in antibiotic resistance gene transport in the Almendares River, Havana, Cuba. Frontiers in Microbiology 2012, 3, 396.
• El Ghazouani A, Basle A, Gray J, Graham DW, Firbank SJ, Dennison C. Variations in methanobactin structure influences copper utilization by methane-oxidizing bacteria. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2012, 109(22), 8400-8404.
• Graham DW, Olivares-Rieumont S, Knapp CW, Lima L, Werner D, Bowen E. Antibiotic resistance gene abundances associated with waste discharges to the Almendares River near Havana, Cuba. Environmental Science & Technology 2011, 45(2), 418-424.
• Knapp CW, McCluskey SM, Singh BK, Campbell CD, Hudson G, Graham DW. Antibiotic resistance gene abundances correlate with metal and geochemical conditions in archived Scottish soils. PLoS One 2011, 6(11), e27300.
• Giesen MJ, Mazel AD, Graham DW, Warke PA. Care and Management of Ancient Stone Monuments during Environmental Change. International Journal of Heritage and Sustainable Development 2011, 1(1), 60-71.
• Stoenica M, Buzatu P, Ferdes M, Ofiteri ID, Graham DW, Lavric V. Comparison of Laboratory Wastewater Treatment Systems with Settlers: Affect of cycloheximide and recirculation ratio. Revista de Chimie 2011, 62(6), 633-638.
• El Ghazouani A, Basle A, Firbank SJ, Knapp CW, Gray J, Graham DW, Dennison C. Copper-Binding Properties and Structures of Methanobactins from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Inorganic Chemistry 2011, 50(4), 1378-1391.
• Chi-Fru E, Gray ND, McCann C, Baptista JDC, Christgen B, Talbot HM, El-Ghazouani A, Dennison C, Graham DW. Effects of copper mineralogy and methanobactin on cell growth and sMMO activity in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Biogeosciences 2011, 8, 2887-2894.
• Bellucci M, Ofiteru ID, Graham DW, Head IM, Curtis TP. Low Dissolved Oxygen Nitrifying Systems Exploit Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria With Unusually High Yield. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2011, 77(21), 7787-7796.
• Chi-Fru E, Ofiteru ID, Lavric V, Graham DW. Non-linear population dynamics in chemostats associated with live-dead cell cycling in Escherichia coli strain K12-MG1655. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2011, 89(3), 791-998.
• Graham DW, Kim HJ. Production, isolation, purification and functional characterisation of methanobactins. In: Rosenzweig, A., Ragsdale, S.W, ed. Methods in Methane Metabolism, Part B: Methanotrophy. Amsterdam; Boston: Academic Press, 2011, pp.227-245.
• Kulczycki E, Fowle DA, Kenward PA, Leslie K, Graham DW, Roberts JA. Stimulation of methanotroph activity by Cu-substituted borosilicate glass. Geomicrobiology Journal 2011, 28(1), 1-10.
• Lavric V, Graham DW. Birth, growth and death as structuring operators in bacterial population dynamics. Journal of Theoretical Biology 2010, 264(1), 45-54.
• Graham DW, Trippett C, Dodds WK, O'Brien JM, Banner EBK, Head IM, Smith MS, Yang RK, Knapp CW. Correlations between in situ denitrification activity and nir-gene abundances in pristine and impacted prairie streams. Environmental Pollution 2010, 158(10), 3225-3229.
• Knapp CW, Zhang W, Sturm BSM, Graham DW. Differential fate of erythromycin and beta-lactam resistance genes from swine lagoon waste under different aquatic conditions. Environmental Pollution 2010, 158(5), 1506-1512.
• Knapp CW, Dolfing J, Ehlert PAI, Graham DW. Evidence of increasing antibiotic resistance gene abundances in archived soils since 1940 . Environmental Science & Technology 2010, 44(2), 580-587.
• Giesen MJ, Mazel AD, Graham DW, Warke PA. The resilience and care of ancient stone monuments in changing environments. In: Amoêda, R; Lira, S; Pinheiro, C, ed. Heritage 2010: Heritage and Sustainable Development. Barcelos: Green Lines Institute, 2010, pp.515-523.
• Peltier E, Vincent J, Finn C, Graham DW. Zinc-induced antibiotic resistance in activated sludge bioreactors. Water Research 2010, 44(13), 3829-3836.
• Zhang W, Sturm BSM, Knapp CW, Graham DW. Accumulation of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Aquatic Biofilms Due to Periodic Waste Loadings from Swine Lagoons. Environmental Science and Technology 2009, 43(20), 7643-7650.
• De La Rosa D, Lima L, Olivares-Rieumont S, Graham DW, Enriquez I, Diaz O, Bastías JM, Muñoz O. Assessment of Total Mercury Levels in Clarias gariepinus from the Sagua la Grande River, Cuba. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2009, 82(1), 101-105.
• Knapp CW, Dodds WK, Wilson KC, O'Brien JM, Graham DW. Spatial Heterogeneity of Denitrification Genes in a Highly Homogenous Urban Stream. Environmental Science and Technology 2009, 43(12), 4273-4279.
• Knapp CW, Findlay D, Kidd K, Graham DW. A comparative assessment of molecular biological and direct microscopic techniques for assessing aquatic systems. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2008, 145(1-3), 465-473.
• Engemann C, Keen P, Knapp CW, Hall K, Graham DW. Fate of tetracycline resistance genes in aquatic systems: Migration from the water column to peripheral biofilms. Environmental Science and Technology 2008, 42(14), 5131-5136.
• Knapp CW, Engemann C, Hanson M, Keen P, Hall K, Graham DW. Indirect evidence of transposon-mediated selection of antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic systems at low-level oxytetracycline exposures. Environmental Science and Technology 2008, 42(14), 5348-5353.
• Peak N, Knapp CW, Yang RK, Hanfelt MM, Smith MS, Aga DS, Graham DW. Abundance of six tetracycline resistance genes in wastewater lagoons at cattle feedlots with different antibiotic use strategies. Environmental Microbiology 2007, 9(1), 143-151.
• Graham DW, Knapp CW, Van Vleck E, Bloor K, Lane T, Graham C. Experimental demonstration of chaotic instability in biological nitrification. ISME Journal 2007, 1(5), 385-393.
• Caquet T, Hanson ML, Roucaute M, Graham DW, Lagadic L. Influence of Isolation on the Recovery of Pond Mesocosms from the Application of an Insectide. II. Benthic Macroinvertibrates. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 2007, 26(6), 1280-1290.
• Hanson M, Graham DW, Babin E, Azam D, Coutellec A-M, Knapp CW, Lagadic L, Caquet T. Influence of Isolation on the Recovery of Pond Mesocosms from the Application of an Insectide: Study Design and Planktonic Community Responses. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 2007, 26(6), 1265-1279.
• Knapp C, Fowle D, Kulczycki E, Roberts J, Graham D. Methane monooxygenase gene expression mediated by methanobactin in the presence of mineral copper sources. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2007, 104(29), 12040-12045.
• Kulczycki E, Fowle DA, Knapp CW, Graham DW, Roberts JA. Methanobactin-promoted Dissolution of Cu-substituted Borosilicate Glass. Geobiology 2007, 5(3), 251-263.
• Knapp CW, Graham DW. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria guild ecology associated with nitrification failure in a continuous-flow reactor. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 2007, 62(2), 195-201.
• Olivares Rieumont S, Lima L, de la Rosa D, Graham DW, Columbie I, Santana JL, Sánchez MJ. Water Hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) as Indicators of Heavy Metal Impact of a Large Landfill on the Almendares River near Havana, Cuba. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2007, 79(6), 583-587.
• Engemann CA, Adams LM, Knapp CW, Graham DW. Disappearance of oxytetracycline resistance genes in aquatic systmes. FEMS Microbiology Letters 2006, 263(2), 176-182.
• Gordon DA, Toth GP, Graham DW, Lazorchak JM, Reddy TV, Knapp CW, de Noyelles F, Campbell S, Lattier DL. Effects of secondary nutrient conditions on vitellogenin gene expression in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to 17-[alpha]-ethynylestradiol in field mesocosms. Environmental Pollution 2006, 142(3), 559-566.
• Hanson ML, Knapp CW, Graham DW. Field assessment of oxytetracycline exposure to the freshwater macrophyte Elodea densa (Planch.) and Ceratophyllum demersum L. Environmental Pollution 2006, 141(3), 434-442.
• Olivares Rieumont S, de la Rosa D, Lima L, Graham DW, Alessandro KD´, Borroto J, Martínez FG, Sánchez J. Assessment of heavy metal levels in Almendares River sediments - Havana City, Cuba. Water Research 2005, 39(16), 3945-3953.
• Cardoza LA, Knapp CW, Larive CK, Belden JB, Lydy M, Graham DW. Ciprofloxacin attenuation rates and mechanisms in aquatic field systems. Water, Air & Soil Pollution 2005, 161, 383-398.
• Knapp CW, Cardoza LA, Hawes J, Wellington EMH, Larive CK, Graham DW. Fate and Effects of Enrofloxacin in Aquatic Systems under Different Light Conditions. Environmental Science & Technology 2005, 39, 9140-9146.
• Kim HJ, Galeva N, Larive CK, Alterman M, Graham DW. Purification and Physical—Chemical Properties of Methanobactin: A Chalkophore from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Biochemistry 2005, 44(13), 5140-5148.
• Knapp CW, Caquet T, Hanson ML, Lagadic L, Graham DW. Response of microbial communities to sudden exposure to deltamethrin in aquatic mesocosms. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 2005, 54(1), 157-165.
• Chang LW, Toth GP, Gordon DA, Graham DW, Meier JR, Knapp CW, deNoyelles F, Campbell S, Lattier DL. Responses of molecular indicators of exposure in mesocosms: common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exponsed to the herbicides alachlor and atrazine. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 2005, 24(1), 190-197.
• Graham DW, Smith VH. Designed ecosystem services: application of ecological principles in wastewater treatment engineering. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2004, 2(4), 199-206.
• Knapp CW, Graham DW. Development of Alternate ssu-rRNA Probing Strategies for Characterizing Aquatic Microbial Communities. Journal of Microbiological Methods 2004, 56(3), 323-330.
• Kim HJ, Graham DW, DiSpirito AA, Alterman MA, Galeva N, Larive CK, Asunskis D, Sherwood PMA. Methanobactin, a Copper-Acquisition Compound from Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria. Science 2004, 305(5690), 1612-1615.
• Smith MS, Yang RK, Knapp CW, Niu Y, Peak N, Hanfelt M, Galland JS, Graham DW. Quantification of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Feedlot Lagoons Using Real-time PCR. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2004, 70, 7372-7377.
• Knapp CW, Graham DW, Steedman RJ, de Noyelles F. Deep chlorophyll maxima in small forest lakes after experimental catchment and shoreline logging. Boreal Environment Research 2003, 8(1), 9-18.
• Kim HJ, Graham DW. Effects of Oxygen and Nitrogen Conditions on the Transformation Kinetics of 1,2-Dichloroethenes by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and its sMMO^C Mutant. Biodegradation 2003, 14(6), 407-414.
• Ensz A, Knapp CW, Graham DW. Influence of Autochthonous Dissolved Organic Carbon and Nutrient Limitation on Alachlor Biotransformation in Aerobic Aquatic Systems. Environmental Science & Technology 2003, 37(18), 4157-4162.
• Knapp CW, Graham DW, Berardesco G, de Noyelles F, Cutak BJ, Larive CK. Nutrient level, microbial community conditions, and alachlor transformation in aerobic aquatic mesocosms. Water Research 2003, 37(19), 4761-4769.
• Knapp CW, de Noyelles F, Graham DW, Bergin S. Physical and chemical conditions surrounding the diurnal vertical migration of Cryptomonas spp. (Cryptophyceae) in a seasonally stratified midwestern reservoir (U.S.A.). Journal of Phycology 2003, 39(5), 855-861.
• Curtis TP, Head IM, Graham DW. Theoretical Ecology for engineering biology. Environmental Science & Technology 2003, 37(3), 64A-70A.