Dr Christine Switzer
- e-mail: c.switzer
- From: New York, USA
- Qualifications:
- BS Chemical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 1997
- MS Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 2000
- PhD Rutgers, 2004
- Previous Employment: Vanderbilt University, Research Associate, 2004-2005
- Position: Research Fellow
- Supervisor: Prof Jose Torero / Dr Jason Gerhard
Principal project:
- In Situ Smouldering Combustion: A Novel Remediation Concept
for NAPL Source Zones
- Funded by Scottish Enterprise
- Tens of thousands of sites worldwide exhibit contamination of soil, groundwater and surface
water by hazardous industrial chemicals. These chemicals, such as fuels and solvents, pose a
serious and long-term threat to soils and water quality. Most available technologies are either
very costly or have not yet proven effective enough. In situ smouldering combustion is an
innovative concept for the remediation of a wide range of hazardous chemicals polluting the
soil and water at industrial sites. This technology aims to eliminate pollutants effectively
where they reside in the subsurface. Preliminary results suggest in situ smouldering
combustion has the potential to be a viable remediation technology across a range of
contaminants, porous media types and subsurface conditions. Further experiments will be
carried out at the bench and field scales.
Other research interests
- Contaminant fate, transport and remediation
- Multiphase flow
Previous projects:
- Evaluation of Soil Vapor Extraction Performance for
Trichloroethylene (TCE) Remediation in Layered Heterogeneous
Soils
- Preliminary Risk Evaluation of Calcined High-Level Waste
Disposition at the Idaho Site
Selected Publications
BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering
The School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh
The King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JL
Fax: 0131 650 6554