Office of University Communications
Water Resources Institute to study City of Springfield's 'biosolid' runoff
Additional faculty and staff accomplishments noted
Date: September 23, 2008
Biosolids are left over as sludge after the municipal treatment of wastewater by the City of Springfield and are currently being used to fertilize agricultural fields in southwestern Missouri, explained Dr. Bob Pavlowsky, professor of geography, geology and planning and director of the OEWRI.
"Testing in other regions indicates that this practice results in little risk to human health and aquatic life beyond that which occurs using traditional fertilizer," Pavlowski said. "However, there are questions about the release of nutrients and metals from biosolids applications during rainfall-runoff events and the contamination of downstream receiving water bodies under soil and slope conditions occurring in the western Ozarks."
Working with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and NRCS, OEWRI is working with the city to conduct a three-year study to compare the runoff loss of nutrients and metals from fields treated with biosolids with fields treated with traditional fertilizer. The objectives of the study are:
- set up experimental field plots and runoff auto-samplers to measure the concentrations and loads of nutrients and metals released from fields treated with biosolids during individual storms;
- compare the levels of nutrients and metals measured in the biosolids runoff to loads measured in runoff from fields treated as control (no application) and with traditional fertilizer;
- use this information to improve the management requirements for using biosolids field applications to fertilize hay fields in southwest Missouri.
"This is one of the first studies in the region to measure the water chemistry, nutrient content and metal concentration in runoff directly from fields and, more significantly, to compare runoff losses between biosolids and traditional fertilizer treatments," Pavlowsky said. "The results of this study will help managers to better understand the influence of different land use practices on water quality."
Dr. Paul Durham, director of Missouri State University's Center for Biomedical and Life Sciences, received a $75,000 grant from Merck & Co., Inc. for the CGRP Receptor Antagonists: Investigation of Mechanism of Action project.
Durham said the goal of this project is to test the efficacy of a novel anti-migraine drug that blocks the function of the protein CGRP.
Migraine is a recurring, episodic neurovascular disorder characterized by painful headache, as well as neurological, gastrointestinal and other somatic symptoms. Increased activity of trigeminal nerves is thought to play a central role in the underlying pathology of migraine. When trigeminal nerves become active, they release proteins such as CGRP that cause the inflammation and pain associated with migraine attacks. CGRP functions by binding to receptors on other cells.
"It has recently been shown that treating migraineurs with telcagepant (Merck & Co., Inc.), an investigational oral CGRP receptor blocker, significantly improved relief of migraine pain and migraine-associated symptoms," Durham said. "However, the cellular mechanisms by which telcagepant functions to stop a migraine attack are not known. Thus, the major goal of our study is to determine exactly how telcagepant functions to abort migraine. Results from our study will not only improve our understanding of how this new class of anti-migraine drugs work, but also provide novel information about the underlying pathology of migraine."
Durham said this project will provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge pharmaceutical research.
Stephanie Hein, instructor of hospitality and restaurant administration (HRA), received a $25,000 Darden Foundation grant to assist in the purchase of new restaurant technology training equipment for HRA students.
Specifically, the grant allows the department to install new computer technology in the HRA dining room and kitchen learning facilities.
"Implementing these new technologies ensures HRA students are exposed to the most current restaurant systems available," Hein said. "As one of the larger HRA departments in our region, we believe it is our responsibility to offer students innovative industry practices. Each faculty member utilizes personal industry experiences combined with theoretical applications to create a well-rounded educational opportunity for our students. While the experiences of faculty provide invaluable information, the department believes students need to gain additional exposure to innovative restaurant technologies in order for them to remain competitive in the marketplace."
This grant marks the department's second received from the Darden Foundation. Previous monies received from the Darden Foundation were utilized by the HRA department to establish the Darden Training Kitchen.