Virtual Seminar: Microbe-pollutant interactions between fluorinated fire-fighting foams and bioremediation of hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents

Microbes are fantastic chemists that can alter the fate of contaminants, but co-occurring contaminants can inhibit or stimulate microbial processes. In this talk we will look at case studies with per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), highly fluorinated and sometimes called forever chemicals, and how hydrocarbon bioremediation impacts the fate of PFAS. Likewise, we will look at how PFAS impacts trichloroethylene biotransformation.

Christopher Olivares is currently a postdoctoral scholar at UC Berkeley, with an assistant professor position beginning at UC Irvine in the spring 2021 quarter. Dr. Olivares uses an interdisciplinary approach to solving water issues. He works on toxicity, fate, and biotransformation of organic pollutants in natural and engineered environments, with the goal of protecting communities and ecosystems.