“We need mining… but we can do it in a sustainable manner”
One of the biggest questions of the mining industry is, how can we make it more sustainable? One Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, David Hogan, is tackling that very question with his research on water remediation.
“My big priority is to take research and get it out in the world,” says Hogan. His research examines how synthetic and biosurfactants can be used to clean water, recovering metal back into the economy and preventing hazardous materials from entering the environment. In his research, he looks at aqueous waste from mine sites. Aqueous solutions can contain metals or other hazardous materials from mine processing. What he examines is how to remove these materials and put them back into the economy and recycle the water. The experiment involves putting surfactants into the water. The surfactants have opposing charges to the metals and the metals bind with these surfactants. Then these metal/surfactant complexes can be removed from the water, thus cleaning the water of certain wastes. The experiments examine what surfactants or “soaps” are best for different types of metals. An exciting and unique aspect of the synthetic surfactants is that they can be tailored to bind with different metals to work in different technologies.
The next step becomes, how do we then take the surfactant bound metals out of water? That is still a process being developed, but one way is by blowing air into the solution, creating a foam, where the surfactant-bound metal accumulates and can be separated from the water–a process called ion flotation.
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Professor Hogan completed an undergraduate degree at New Mexico State University in Microbiology with minors in Environmental Management and Chemistry. After becoming fascinated by experiments in his High School’s microbiology course, he became interested in pursuing this field. While most microbiologists utilize their skills to work in health fields, Hogan decided to take a different route due to his passion in helping the environment. In High School, he had an internship studying different categories of landfill waste to see what’s being thrown away. An avid outdoorsman, he saw firsthand how humans impact the environment, and decided he wanted to make a difference.
Hogan earned his PhD in Environmental Science at the University of Arizona, where he conducted research with Dr. Raina Maier on the application of biosurfactants for aqueous mine waste remediation. His research focused on how humans can use microorganisms to remove metals and contaminants from water. Nearing the end of his PhD program, he applied to small business innovation research grants to continue his work, and he has since received multiple awards to test his technologies with industry partners.
“A lot of research done at universities doesn’t translate in the real world,” says Hogan. But Hogan’s research aims to be applied at mine sites. One of the issues faced by the mining industry is the presence of metals in water at mine sites. He hopes to utilize these synthetic surfactants to address this problem in an economical and sustainable manner. Not only does he aim to clean the water but also to “improve recovery rates during mineral processing. This technology is not just something for the end of a mine’s life,” but also for use during active operations to “put resources back in their system and recover water that they have on site for beneficial reuse.” By recycling the water they use, mine operations can reduce their environmental impact and make themselves more sustainable.
“Interfacing with the industry can be challenging when it comes to environmental aspects,” but a lot of mining operations understand the value of discovering new ways to be sustainable within their practices. Hogan tries to highlight the benefits of doing sustainability research to industry members who want to help the communities in which they operate.
“I never thought I was going to work in mining; I was interested in microbiology and the environment,” Hogan says. His research interests just happened to take him in this direction. He advises students to diversify their experiences, and that they don’t know where their path may take them.
He is constantly looking for students in the research lab. However, “I’m looking for people that show initiative,” says Hogan. He particularly wants to see students who value the research going on in his lab and have a way to connect the research to their career goals and interests.