Research on a novel class of contaminants associated with urban areas known as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). PPCPs include drugs, antibiotics, antimicrobials found in detergents, perfumes, etc.
I am currently investigating whether concentrations of PPCPs found in surface waters affect ecosystem function (funding provided by Illinois Water Resources Association). The methods we are developing allow us to explore how chemical stressors influence ecosystem function, a difficult task in urban streams with multiple stressors. In collaboration with Dr. John Kelly (Loyola University Chicago), I have started measuring the effects anti-microbials on the composition and functioning of stream biofilms.
