- Masashi Kaneda
- Karla Parga Martinez
- Ana Carrazco Quevedo
- Leighton King
- Jian Zhao
- Pedro Mena-Giraldo
- Shamsunnahar Suchana
Dr. Masashi Kaneda
ɬÀï·¬ - Chemical Engineering
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics (MPs), and nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging urban contaminants that threaten terrestrial and aquatic life. Their frequent co-occurrence highlights the need to better understand their fate, impacts, and remediation. Wastewater treatment plants act both as sources of these pollutants and as key barriers to their removal. Our research examines interactions among PFAS, MPs, and NPs at environmental interfaces and develops fibrous material–based technologies to remove them from water.
Dr. Karla Parga Martinez
ɬÀï·¬ - Chemical Engineering
Plastic food contact articles (FCA) can leach chemicals, metals, and release micro- and nanoparticles throughout their life cycle. These emerging contaminants are increasingly concerning due to their persistence, mobility, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. My research assesses the release of such contaminants from both conventional plastics and bioplastics under routine usage conditions. I use spectroscopic (FTIR, O-PTIR, Raman), thermal (Pyro-GCMS), and mass-spectrometry techniques (LC-QTOF-MS, ICP-MS) to characterize particle and chemical release.
Dr. Ana C. Quevedo
ɬÀï·¬ - Chemical Engineering
My research examines the ecotoxicological effects of emerging contaminants on aquatic organisms, primarily non-sentient species like Daphnia magna. I study how pollutants, nanoplastics, microplastics, tire wear particles, and fibers, interact with biological molecules and affect organismal responses. By analyzing molecular and physiological effects, my work aims to clarify toxicity mechanisms and impacts on aquatic ecosystems, supporting strategies to assess the ecological risks of plastic-related pollutants.
Dr. Leighton King
ɬÀï·¬ - Biology
Sockeye salmon are economically, culturally, and ecologically vital in the Pacific Northwest, yet their populations have fluctuated over the past century due to natural and human pressures. Up to 60% of regional lakes now exceed guidelines for potentially toxic elements, but long-term trends remain unclear. To investigate this, we are analyzing elemental concentrations in sediment cores from five key nursery lakes in British Columbia. Our findings will clarify ecosystem change and support salmon conservation.
Dr. Jian Zhao
INRS-ETE
My project investigates the subcellular fate of bismuth (Bi) in the freshwater alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, with emphasis on the role of iron in regulating Bi bioavailability and intracellular behavior. Bi is being widely used as a lead substitute in industrial applications, necessitating an assessment of its bioaccumulation and toxicity. A metallomics approach, integrating advanced mass spectrometry and spectroscopic techniques, elucidates Bi speciation, distribution, and interactions with cellular proteins, providing critical insights into Bi biogeochemical cycling and its potential environmental risks.
Dr. Pedro Mena-Giraldo
ɬÀï·¬ - Chemical Engineering
My research focuses on the detection and characterization of microplastics and nanoplastics in environmental and biological systems using advanced analytical techniques. I specialize in optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy (O-PTIR) to identify polymer composition at the microscale, including extraction from aquatic organisms such as clams, detection in model organisms like daphnia using complementary spectroscopic approaches, and the study of environmental particles such as paint-derived microplastics. In parallel, I investigate mechanisms of plastic degradation leading to nanoplastic formation, including the role of reactive oxygen species.
Dr. Shamsunnahar Suchana
ɬÀï·¬ - Chemical Engineering
My postdoctoral research integrates field and laboratory studies to understand the environmental fate of conventional and biodegradable mulch plastics in agricultural systems. I investigate how photooxidation and natural aging of mulch films release microplastics, nanoplastics, polymer degradation products, and embedded additives. I further examine how polymer aging, coupled with soil and water chemistry, modulates interactions between mulch plastics and co-occurring emerging soil contaminants (e.g., PFAS). Using advanced analytical tools, including pyrolysis-GC/MS, high-resolution LC/MS, and optical photothermal microspectroscopy, my current work resolves mechanistic processes governing plastic fate at soil–water interfaces, with implications for agricultural sustainability and downstream aquatic systems.
