Concerns over access to clean water include the possible health effects of metals, even in trace amounts, says Dr. Warren. “The environmental implications of lack of clean water are huge and growing.”

She brings together a range of tools and disciplines, from analytical geochemistry to microbiology to molecular biology, to understand how these contaminants behave in surface and subsurface environments. Taking that integrated approach will help in using naturally occurring microbial processes to remove contaminants, from mine tailings to atomic bomb testing sites.

“The goal is to identify the key players -- microbial or geochemical -- such that we can design effective remediation strategies to clean up contaminated sites and improve water quality.”

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