PhD Dissertation Defense: Ethan Hain
Ethan Hain, PhD Candidate
Advisor:
Occurrence, source, and toxicity of contaminants of emerging concern in the diverse subwatersheds of the Chesapeake Bay
Abstract:
Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), such as antibiotics, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and UV filters, have been widely used in human and animal health for decades. Many of these compounds are not fully degraded during treatment of animal or human wastes, resulting in the detection of trace concentrations of CECs around the world. The global presence of CECs has raised concerns for human and ecological health; therefore, understanding the concentration, source, and toxicity of CECs is critically important. However, limited data are available on the presence, origin, and ecological impacts of CECs in most aquatic environments. In watersheds with mixed land use (e.g., animal feeding operations, wastewater treatment plants), the ability to distinguish sources remains a challenge. Therefore, this dissertation focused on the identification of priority CECs in the diverse subwatersheds of the Chesapeake Bay and investigations into methods for improving toxicity assays
