UNews - chemicals

CCBN renovation boosts safety, streamlines research

trevor.kenney — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:47:38 +0000

Research staff at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) is celebrating a small feat. For the first time in many years they have a central storage room for their chemicals.

Although it may seem like a minor milestone, the new storage room plays a fundamental role in keeping the facility safe and organized.

CCBN Research Manager Janice Sutherland sorts through the inventory in the new centralized chemical storage room.

Complete with a new computerized inventory system, the central storage also features specialized cabinets specifically built to contain flammable, poisonous, corrosive, acid or base materials. Previously, researchers would have their own stores of supplies but with no way to keep track of who had what, supplies would often run out or be well over excess.

"This is going to really help in our research," says CCBN research manager Janice Sutherland. "It will help save money because we won't be buying doubles and triples of things. We will know what we have. We'll be able to keep things in supply without running out."

Now that all the chemical supplies are inventoried and housed in one place, researchers will know exactly where a chemical is located and how much is available.

"Everything that comes in now has to be coded in, and everything going out has to be coded out in order for the system to really work properly.

"Hopefully it's going to bring our research to a new level of organization, which is, in my opinion, crucial for doing really good quality experiments," says Sutherland, adding proper storage of chemicals is vital for everyone's safety. "Proper storage for your corrosives, for your acids, for your bases, for your flammables is absolutely critical. It should never be done any other way."

5 questions with . . . Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk

trevor.kenney — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:12:03 +0000

Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk is an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience. He is interested in understanding the neural and behavioural effects of chemical exposure by using multiple methods in both the laboratory and in the field.

This research includes: gaining a better understanding of the role of the brain and hormones in controlling natural behaviours, the effects of specific classes of chemicals on neural development and the neural and behavioural effects of newly emerging contaminants, such as perfluorinated and polybrominated compounds.

His current research addresses two main questions: 1) how have the brain and behaviour evolved in concert with one another; and 2) what are the neurobehavioural effects of exposure to persistent organic pollutants?

Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk investigates the role of the brain and hormones in controlling natural behaviours.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

As a graduate student, I was stunned by how little was known about why different species behave differently. I decided to then start filling in the gaps by examining how the anatomy of the brain varies from one species to the next and how this variation is related to its behaviour.

Currently, I am examining how male Ruffed Grouse produce their unique drumming display and how females might be detecting the extremely low frequencies that make up the drumming sound. I am also testing the effects of environmental contaminants on developing birds to better understand how environmental pollution disrupts the development of the brain and behaviour.

How is your research applicable in "the real world"?

My research addresses fundamental questions regarding how the brain modulates behaviour in different species, which is one means by which we better understand how the brain works.

In addition, Ruffed Grouse are in decline across much of eastern North America and by better understanding their courtship display (i.e., drumming) we can make more informed decisions about habitat management for them.

My contaminants research also has significant implications for deciding what chemicals we use, how much should be allowed in our food and in the environment and the extent to which some of these chemicals might be affecting wildlife.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

I do not consider any of my research awards to be honours, but if I had to choose something it is being asked to be on the committee of the J.B. Johnston Club, the only international organization focusing exclusively on how brains vary among different animals.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

Students are critically important to my research at a number of levels. First, they provide much needed technical assistance in my lab on several different projects. I can honestly say that I would not have been able to complete the bulk of my research without student help.

Second, when students are really interested in the topic they are researching, they often bring new perspectives and ideas to my research, which aid immensely in designing new experiments and writing papers.

Third, students that I train are often afforded the opportunity to travel to present their research at regional and international meetings. This greatly benefits the students because they can meet potential graduate or post-doctoral supervisors as well as present their work to the scientific community. It is also critical to my research because it fosters collaborations with other researchers, advertises the expertise of my lab and encourages other students to come and work with me.

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

Application based research, such as prevention and treatment of various health problems, is entirely dependent on basic research. Most major discoveries in science occurred because of serendipitous findings in research labs addressing fundamental questions in science. I would therefore allocate far more funding and flexibility to productive scientists who are trying to gain a better understanding of how the world works.

For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth.ca/research/research_profiles.

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ hosts special SACPA session on fracking

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:10:24 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will host a special session of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs Thursday night, 7 p.m. in PE264.

Should a Moratorium and a Full Scale Environmental Assessment Precede Any Further Development Using Hydraulic Fracturing? That is the question that guest speaker Jessica Ernst will debate.

Ernst is an environmental scientist with 30 years of oil patch experience. Her career and personal experience make her uniquely qualified to talk about drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Ernst must haul water from outside sources because her well has been poisoned by unnatural and dangerous concentrations of methane gas and other industrial toxins.

She filed legal action against EnCana (a large oil and gas company), the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) which approves energy projects in Alberta and the Alberta Government for their responsibility. In May, 2011 Ernst was invited to New York to present her case and to make recommendations to governments at the United Nations 19th Commission on Sustainable Development. On October 1, 2011, UNANIMA International, a UN Economic and Social Council NGO, presented Ernst with its annual "Woman of Courage" award in New York, at the Church Center of United Nations.

Much of the general public know little or nothing about hydraulic fracturing (fracking), an increasingly popular, but controversial technique of drilling for oil and natural gas. Fracking involves vertical and sometimes horizontal drilling into coal bed, or shale rock using extreme pressure for the fracture treatments. Anywhere from 200,000 to 1500,000 liters of water and various stimulation and fracturing fluids, and from 75,000 to 320,000 pounds of propellant are consumed during a typical hydraulic fracture of a single well.

Fracturing fluids can contain chemicals toxic to humans and wildlife, chemicals that are known to cause cancer. These include diesel fuel, which contains benzene, which in very small quantities can cause cancer and are capable of contaminating millions of gallons of water. Drilling chemicals can be more toxic than fracturing chemicals. The speaker will relate her experiences with fracking in her community of Rosebud, Alberta and her fight to bring the many issues associated with drilling and fracking to the public.

Hontela contributes to IET team

trevor.kenney — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:18:28 +0000

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge ecotoxicology expert is part of a new province-wide research institute dedicated to examining the impact of harmful chemicals in our environment.

Dr. Alice Hontela, a U of L biological sciences professor and Canada Research Chair in ecotoxicology, is among the researchers who make up the Institute of Environmental Toxicology (IET). Housed at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, the IET is a multidisciplinary team that will include biologists and engineers from the universities of Lethbridge, Calgary and Alberta, as well as scientists in municipal and federal laboratories. Its mandate is to develop new and improved technologies for effective risk assessment and remediation of contaminated sites.

Dr. Alice Hontela is pictured in her lab, one of several unique spaces in the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building.

"Our research will help provide decision makers and the public with scientific information on the nature and magnitude of environmental contaminants, and offer some solutions to address this important global challenge," says Hontela.

Among other research collaborations, Hontela is part of MITHE (Metals in The Human Environment) strategic network and the Alberta Institute for Water Research. She says climate change and increasing industrial activity (especially farming and mining) are not only affecting the volume of available water, but the concentration of pollutants that exist in the water.

Through lab and fieldwork, Hontela studies the endocrine systems of different fish to determine the effects of certain pollutants. She explains that some chemicals are safe at low doses (like selenium, which our bodies need), but toxic at higher concentrations. See the following video for a look at Hontela's research.

Since pollutants, like pharmaceuticals, are difficult or impossible to remove with filtration, the health of both human and aquatic species requires keeping these chemicals at non-toxic levels.

"Alberta is a province that is changing very quickly, and we have to find new ways to deal with our water and our pollutants," says Dr. Hamid Habibi, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and the IET director.

An environment free of harmful chemicals is the group's top priority. IET will study the nature, fate and persistence of chemicals in the environment as well as the remediation of terrestrial and aquatic contamination activities.

Habibi says that the causes of contamination are wide ranging and could include pollutants released from wastewater treatment plants and landfills, such as plasticizers, surfactants, flame-retardants, drugs, personal care and industrial products. In addition, there are heavy metals or other toxins resulting from mining activities and electronics consumerism, agricultural runoff, oil sands operations and tailings ponds.

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a full look at the January issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Collaboration yields plumbing solution

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:41:13 +0000

A cooperative effort has helped to thwart a non-compatibility issue and for that, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students, staff and faculty can be thankful this winter.

When the Central Plant's hot water heating system began to see a number of its valves fail, their rubber linings chewed away to the point where they no longer held water, TJ Hanson and his Utilities staff suspected something more sinister than wear and tear was at the heart of the problem.

"The last few years we've had a number of incidents where valves throughout the system just weren't holding," says Hanson, the director of Facility Operations and Maintencance. "We would close a valve but water would continue through the line and it made it very difficult to isolate a boiler for service."

A total of three gas fired boilers work in unison to supply closed loop hot water heating to the U of L. With valves continuing to fail and another winter heating season looming, Hanson and the Utilities crew knew something had to be done.

"When we opened the valves up and looked at them they were all deteriorating or completely chewed up," says Hanson. "We had a chemical analysis done of the water in the system and we spoke with the valve supplier, but they assured us their valves were fine."

So, the crew decided to seek out its own expert – and found him in-house.

"Terry Sutton came up with the idea that we should contact someone in our chemistry department," says Hanson.

The chemistry someone in question was Dr. René Boeré, and it didn't take long for Boeré to determine what was wrong with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's failing valves. By examining the 20 or so constituents in the boiler water, their concentration and subsequently checking their compatibility with the rubber material (known as EPDM) of the valves, Boeré found a problem.

"The list from the analyst contained a range of substances, which I compared to a chemical compatibility index," says Boeré. "EPDM is supposed to have good compatibility with the majority of the ingredients in the boiler water. Of those species present that might attack this rubber, I looked at how much was identified as being in the water. Of these, the substance morpholine was one of the highest in concentration and most deleterious to EPDM."

Morpholine is an antiquated agent that has been used in steam and hot water systems because it distributes evenly between hot water and steam, and provides corrosion protection. Chemicals of its type have not been used in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's systems for well over 25 years. However, it has remained present as a legacy chemical and in ever-declining concentration.

"That was, more or less, our smoking gun," says Hanson, who now had a summer project on his hands.

The only solution was to shut down the entire system, clean it out and start from scratch.

"We drained and refilled the entire system twice, and circulated the water each time to flush it out," says Hanson. "Then we began the process of replacing valves on campus, a total of 220, ranging in size from four to 14 inches."

The system is now free of Morpholine and with the heating season on the doorstep, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is prepared, all thanks to the cooperative work of two very distinct ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ units.

"We have to think all the time about the kinds of materials we use to handle a wide range of chemicals, thus we get used to the idea of checking material compatibility," says Boeré. "It was a pleasure to be able to use these skills to help out TJ and his staff as they work to keep us warm throughout the winter. I think it's easy for us in the offices and classrooms to take their work for granted."

For a look at the full issue of the November Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

The science of plumbing

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:05:54 +0000

A cooperative effort has helped to thwart a non-compatibility issue and for that, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students, staff and faculty can be thankful this winter.

So, the crew decided to seek out its own expert – and found him in-house.

"Terry Sutton came up with the idea that we should contact someone in our chemistry department," says Hanson.

"That was, more or less, our smoking gun," says Hanson, who now had a summer project on his hands.

The only solution was to shut down the entire system, clean it out and start from scratch.

For a look at the full issue of the November Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Hayes earns CAFA honour

trevor.kenney — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:59:55 +0000

The Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA), the provincial organization representing academic staff associations at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, recently announced the recipients of the CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards for 2010.

Among the recipients is Dr. Paul Hayes an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who will receive the 2010 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award at an event in mid-September.

The CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award recognizes academic staff members who, at an early stage of their careers, through their research and/or other scholarly, creative or professional activities, have made an outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university.

Hayes is being recognized for, among other projects, his research to find a cost-effective, environmentally sustainable 'green' alternative to conventional plastics.

Building his research programme at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge from scratch, Hayes has been able to attract top-quality students and postdoctoral fellows to his lab. As principal investigator, he has secured multi-year external funding, including grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Alberta Ingenuity, NSERC, the Canada School of Energy and Environment, and GreenCentre Canada.

Hayes' research is receiving wide attention in the scientific community, and already has resulted in an impressive string of high-profile publications in leading peer-reviewed chemistry journals, in addition to numerous invited presentations at scholarly conferences across Canada and abroad.

His research in the field of organometallic chemistry, focusing on fundamental questions in catalysis and polymer science, addresses the need to develop new technologies for chemical conversions, which are crucial to drug development, materials synthesis, and the production of value-added chemicals.

Specifically, his work on polylactide polymerization catalysis advances our understanding of the synthesis of 'green' polymers, that is, biodegradable polymers that can be prepared from inexpensive renewable sources, such as corn.

This research holds the key to the challenge of producing viable alternatives to many conventional materials, such as 'green' plastic for food packaging. Lactone polymers also have many possible medical applications, for example in absorbable sutures, matrices for the slow release of pharmaceuticals, and polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Bee Heart Smart begins May 1

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:40:53 +0000

By SUZANNE MCINTOSH

It is that time of year again. The semester is wrapping up, spring is on the way, crocuses are blooming and your team should be gearing up for the 6th Annual Bee Heart Smart six-week physical activity challenge.

Running May 1 to June 14, this competition is open to staff and faculty with the goal of promoting active living by participating in walking, running, swimming, cycling or other physical activities.

Last year was my first year involved in this challenge and I enjoyed the enthusiasm and friendly competition exhibited. Our goal this year is to increase participation – in both total individuals (176 in 2009) and number of teams (17 in 2009) registered.

Rule changes for this year include a new time category for physical activity other than walking, running, cycling or swimming. Participants will now be able to record their time spent at the gym, engaging in activities such as yoga, pilates, or indoor soccer, to name a few.

There will also be two additional categories for running and cycling; allowing cyclists to either record the distance travelled (km) or time spent performing the activity.

Registration for the Bee Heart Smart challenge will be available through the Wellness website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness) or the Notice Board as of Apr. 16. Early Bird draw prizes will be available to those who register prior to May 1.

Record the following (daily or weekly):
• Number of steps (using a pedometer) or time for walking/running
• Number of km or time for cycling
• Number of laps for swimming
• Time spent performing other physical activity
Prizes will be drawn weekly for the top performers as well as random prizes for participation.
The benefits of getting involved in the Bee Heart Smart challenge are many.

Improved health
Walking just 30 minutes on most days can lead to significant health benefits. Aim for 10,000 steps per day – this can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Weight control
Just 2km of walking burns 100 calories. By adding 2km several times a week, you can burn an additional 500 calories a week.

Prizes
There will be prizes such as free monthly memberships to the fitness centre (from Sports and Recreation Services), pedometers,
U of L Bookstore gift certificates, movie passes, and a variety of other prizes. Weekly draws will be made for every level of participation.

Stress Relief
One of the most effective methods of stress relief is exercise. Physical activity provides an outlet for negative emotions such as frustration, anger and irritability, promoting a more positive mood and outlook. Your body releases greater amounts of endorphins which are the powerful pain-relieving, mood-elevating chemicals in the brain.

FUN!
Joining a team for Bee Heart Smart, not only makes physical activity more fun, but makes you more accountable to your team, which helps ensure ongoing participation. Remember it takes about three weeks to start a new habit, so six weeks of Bee Heart Smart will have you well on your way to continuing this physical activity throughout the summer.

Sport and Recreation Services will offer first time monthly memberships (for the month of May) to anyone participating in the Bee Heart Smart Challenge for $10 (a savings of $21.75).

Suzanne McIntosh is the wellness co-ordinator at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Bee Heart Smart initiates a challenge

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:35:07 +0000

It is that time of year again. The semester is wrapping up, spring is on the way, crocuses are blooming and your team should be gearing up for the 6th Annual Bee Heart Smart six-week physical activity challenge.

Running May 1 to June 14, this competition is open to staff and faculty with the goal of promoting active living by participating in walking, running, swimming, cycling or other physical activities.

There will also be two additional categories for running and cycling; allowing cyclists to either record the distance travelled (km) or time spent performing the activity.

Weight control
Just 2km of walking burns 100 calories. By adding 2km several times a week, you can burn an additional 500 calories a week.

Sport and Recreation Services will offer first time monthly memberships (for the month of May) to anyone participating in the Bee Heart Smart Challenge for $10 (a savings of $21.75).

Suzanne McIntosh is the wellness co-ordinator at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Bird brains shed light on evolution and pollution

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:03:50 +0000

With its mousy brown feathers and ample frame, the ruffed grouse wouldn't win any beauty contests. But for one neuroscientist, the Alberta species is a celebrity.

One of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's newest researchers in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk, says the species is unique in the world. By beating its wings very quickly, the male creates a loud drumming sound to attract females.

Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk

"It's completely unique to them. There's no other grouse or chicken-like species in the world that has that behaviour," he says.

Iwaniuk, who earned his master's degree at the U of L, has chosen the ruffed grouse as a focal species for his research on brain differences across species. He's trying to understand why the brains of different animals evolve so distinctly and says the grouse's unique behaviour will provide information about how its brain evolved.

His research is supported by several funding bodies, including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), which recently awarded him nearly $500,000.

Another branch of Iwaniuk's work explores the neurobehavioural impacts of organic pollutants, also through the lens of bird physiology. For this work, he's studying the common quail, which is more sensitive to pollutants than wild birds.

Supported by Alberta Ingenuity and the Alberta Heritage Fund, this work focuses on perfluorinated chemicals, which are contained in stain treatments and Teflon coatings and now circulate widely in the environment.

"A bit of an unknown with these chemicals is how they're affecting our bodies and potentially our brains and behaviours," he says. "The current theory is that these chemicals are upsetting the thyroid gland."

Iwaniuk, who did his PhD at Monash ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Melbourne, Australia, conducted research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., before returning to the U of L.

"The facilities here were better than the other places I was looking at and the funding was better, which offers me the opportunity to hire post-docs, students and research assistants," Iwaniuk says.

UNews - chemicals

CCBN renovation boosts safety, streamlines research

Related Topics

5 questions with . . . Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ hosts special SACPA session on fracking

Related Topics

Hontela contributes to IET team

Related Topics

Collaboration yields plumbing solution

Related Topics

The science of plumbing

Related Topics

Hayes earns CAFA honour

Related Topics

Bee Heart Smart begins May 1

Related Topics

Bee Heart Smart initiates a challenge

Related Topics

Bird brains shed light on evolution and pollution

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ hosts special SACPA session on fracking