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Geomicrobiology and
Microbial Geochemistry at U.T. Austin Philip C. Bennett Professor Dept. of Geological Sciences, 1 University Station, C-1100, The University of Texas Austin, TX 78712-0254 512-471-3587 pbennett@mail.utexas.edu; www.geo.utexas.edu |
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Current and Recent Research
Projects:
Geochemistry Group Bibliography Geochemistry Courses at The University of Texas Current and Former Graduate Students Geochemical Links |
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last modified:
July 29, 2009
The
aqueous and microbial geochemistry program in Geological Sciences is broad, interdisciplinary,
and combines classical aqueous geochemistry with subsurface microbial
ecology. Most of the graduate students working in this
area develop research projects that combine aspects of hydrology, geology, and
microbiology with the core of geochemistry. A primary focus of my program at the
moment is to characterize the geologic and hydrologic controls on subsurface microbial
growth, metabolism, and community structure, and the geochemical consequences of microbial
biochemical processes. We use culture methods as well as
culture-independent molecular techniques such as PLFA, 16S phylogenetic
analysis, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), combined with
environmental scanning electron microscopy. My students are also
investigating silicate dissolution kinetics, karst and cave formation, sediment transport in karst
aquifers, and contaminant transport in fractured rock aquifers, the the fate
of pharmaceuticals in karst aquifers. Browse through the
research projects area to check out what's going on.