Environmental Engineering Laboratory
Lab Description
DRI’s Environmental Engineering Laboratory is fully equipped for developing state-of-the-art advanced water treatment technologies, implemented renewable energy-based water treatment processes, testing emerging water treatment technologies, site restoration and water quality solutions. It has significant environmental chemistry instrumentation and has access to in-house and collaborative support equipment.
About the Environmental Engineering Laboratory (EEL)
Increasing urban population is a phenomenon currently occurring in most parts of the world mainly because the perceived benefits of urban living. As result, irrevocable changes to the landscape and economic, social and environmental impacts on a region are registered nowadays. About 53% (3.8 billion) of the estimated world population (7.2 billion) are living in urban areas nowadays and this amount is projected to increase to 66% by 2050.
A related issue to the increasing urban population is the increasing shortage of safe and reliable water sources. Seasonal and sometimes perennial water shortages are common feature in many parts of the world with the concurrent escalating demand for residential, commercial and industrial uses. Increasing living standards exert pressure on water demand, lading to overexploitation of surface and groundwater resources and declining water quality. The situation is further compounded by changes to rainfall patterns and increasing unreliability of the rainfall seasons along with the pollution of surface and groundwater resources caused by anthropogenic activities limiting the availability of safe water resources to those regions where treatment is economically feasible.
It is imperative that before climate change related impacts force communities to use contaminated water without adequate safeguards, proper water treatment technologies can be developed and implemented to mitigate potential human and ecosystem health risk. Inability to appropriately manage the presence of contaminants (e.g., chemicals and/or pathogens) in water entail the risk of squandering the opportunity to gainfully using available water resource in many urban areas.
The Environmental Engineering Lab is fully equipped for developing state-of-the-art advanced water treatment technologies, implemented renewable energy-based water treatment processes, testing emerging water treatment technologies, site restoration and water quality solutions. It has significant environmental chemistry instrumentation and has access to in house and collaborative support equipment.
Contact:
Erick R. Bandala (PI). Division of Hydrologic Sciences. Desert Research Institute. 755 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119.
Lab Associations
DRI Associations
Center for International Water and Sanitation (CIWAS)
Associated Universities and Agencies
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada Las Vegas
Nevada Department of Environmental Protection
Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Tech
Rex E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari, NMSU
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority
Industrial Partners
Biochar Now
Calix
Altum
Our Team
Erick Bandala, Ph.D.
Erick R. Bandala
Assistant Research Professor/Director
Email: erick.bandala@dri.edu
Phone: 702 862 5395
Degrees:
- Ph.D. National University of Mexico. Solar Energy Research Center, Mexico
- M.Sc. Morelos State University, Mexico
- B.Eng. College of Engineering. Veracruz State University, Mexico
Bio: Dr. Bandala research interests are several different topics related with Environmental Engineering including A) Mechanistic aspects of the use and application of solar driven advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for environmental restoration; B) Development of advanced water and soil treatment for site restoration; C) Synthesis, characterization and application of nanomaterials for Indoor Farming systems; D) Development of Climate Change adaptation methodologies for water security. As result of his research activities, Dr. Bandala is author or co-author of over 100 international publication including 99 peer-reviewed papers in international journals with high impact index (average impact factor 2.7, >3100 citations, h-index 27); 5 books, 25 book chapters and 65 works published in proceedings of international conferences.
Ahdee Zeidman
Ahdee Zeidman
Graduate Student/Research Assistant
Email: ahdee.zeidman@dri.edu
Phone 702 862 5543
Degrees:
- AA, Natural Sciences: Moorpark College
- BSc: Nevada State College
Bio: Ahdee Zeidman obtained an Associates of Arts in Natural Sciences from Moorpark Community College, has a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Resource Science from Nevada State College (NSC) and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Water Resource Management from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She currently researching non-conventional water treatment technologies with interests in A) advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) soil water interaction at nanoscale, B) Soil mitigation, restoration and amendments for agricultural lands. She has done many poster and oral presentations on nanotechnology earning multiple 2nd and 3rd Places, is the recipient of the George Burke Maxey fellowship on the topic of Antibiotic degradation using Zero-valent Iron nanoparticles Immobilized on SBA-15 for 2019 and has moderated and presented at the Global Biopolymers & Polymer Chemistry Congress and International Conference on Chemical Engineering & Catalysis and presented at Bard’s Global Water Reuse, Food and Health Workshop. She also has one first Author publication in the Journal of Environmental Technology and Innovation.
Adam Clurman
Adam Clurman
Undergrad Research Assistant
Email: adam.clurman@dri.edu
Ceonie Washington
Ceonie Washington
Undergrad Research Assistant
E-mail: ceonie.washinton@dri.edu
Phone: 702-325-6131
Bio: Pursuing a degree in biology at Nevada College and wants to pursue a MD/PHD focusing on genetics or biomedical sciences. Gained undergraduate research experience under Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE). Conducting research under the guidance of Dr. Erick Bandala for assessing the effect of traffic-related pollutants in stormwater contamination.
CONTACT
Erick R. Bandala, Ph.D.
Lab Director
Erick.Bandala@dri.edu
LAB LOCATION
Desert Research Institute
755 East Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
DIVISION
Hydrologic Sciences