Hazardous Substance Research Centers/South & Southwest

The Hazardous Substance Research Center/South and Southwest is a competitively awarded, peer-reviewed research consortium led by Louisiana State University with the cooperation of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Rice University, Texas A&M University, and University of Texas at Austin to address critical hazardous substance problems, especially as they relate to contaminated sediments.

The South & Southwest Center was established in October 1991 under Section 311(d) of CERCLA to conduct research and technology transfer designed to promote risk-based management and control of hazardous substances for the nation and regions 4 and 6 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The contaminated sediments and dredged materials of concern contain organics, metals, and conventional pollutants. These environmental contaminants are either suspended in the water column or stored on the bottom of rivers, bayous, lakes, harbors, estuaries, freshwater wetlands, and in ocean waters of the continental shelf.

Research theme areas include:

Assessing the physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing contaminant availability

Evaluating and enhancing biotransformation processes in sediments

Improving the science of risk management for contaminated sediments

Complex environmental problems that face the nation are not easily addressed by conventional single-investigator, single-institution research efforts. The Center has the ability to assemble teams of researchers that cross departmental and institutional boundaries to better address these problems.

Through its training and technology transfer activities, the center disseminates information about research advances to the public and private sectors. Some of these activities include one-day regulatory update conferences, technical briefs, workshops, an annual symposium, and an annual report.

For further information, contact:

Dr. Danny Reible
Center Co-Director
Professor and Chair
Department of Civil Engineering University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station C1700
Austin TX 78712-0273
Voice: 512/471-4642
Fax: 512/471-5870
E-mail: reible@mail.utexas.edu

Dr. John Pardue
Center Co-Director
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
Louisiana State University
3418H CEBA Building
Baton Rouge, LA 70803-6421
Voice: (225) 578-8661
Fax: (225) 388-8652
E-mail: jpardue@lsu.edu