The Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar taking place Sep. 10, at noon CDT will feature David Ramotowski, Ph.D. candidate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa. Ramotowski’s research focuses on using bacteria to clean up toxic “forever chemicals,” specifically polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the environment to protect public health. He is also a trainee with the Iowa Superfund Research Program.

In the webinar, “Using the Fields of Opportunities to Clean Up Forever Chemicals,” Ramotowski will highlight ongoing research to help mitigate the release of PCBs into the environment. He will discuss an approach using PCB-degrading bacteria attached to biochar produced from corn kernels as a method for cleaning up PCBs in sediment to prevent emission into the air. Ramotowski will also discuss how PCBs are attracted and broken down by the combination of biochar and bacteria.

“PCBs are everywhere, and in fact we all have trace amounts of PCBs within our bodies,” said Ramotowski. “These forever chemicals are known to pose a cancer risk in humans, and we are making strides to help break them down using Iowa grown corn as a foundational element. I hope that participants in this webinar will increase their understanding of PCBs and come away with an appreciation for the perfect 1-2 punch to clean up PCBs using corn kernel biochar and bacteria.”

Participants are encouraged to ask questions of the presenters. People from all backgrounds and areas of interest are encouraged to join.