MIAMI - As a DOE Fellow, Hansell Gonzalez Raymat works with mentors on research to develop solutions to remediate radioactively contaminated soil and groundwater at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
The work benefits EM’s cleanup and Raymat’s academic career. The graduate student at Florida International University (FIU) incorporates his EM research into a dissertation required for a doctorate degree focusing on environmental chemistry research.
“The mentorship that I received at FIU and the Savannah River Site has helped me to succeed so far in the Ph.D. program," said Raymat, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from FIU in 2012. “In addition, I think that DOE-EM benefits from my research because it is through my research that I am addressing current environmental cleanup problem-sets at the DOE sites."
Raymat helps address EM’s environmental remediation challenges through his research in the DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Program at FIU’s Applied Research Center (ARC).
EM Update recently highlighted the role of three other DOE Fellows from ARC in helping EM determine the disposition of an SRS watershed’s contaminated areas. Those fellows joined their professor to collect samples and data last year for surface water and sediment transport modeling research. They’re returning to SRS this summer for additional research.
Raymat gained firsthand experience of SRS research and an appreciation for EM’s cleanup. He came up with his dissertation idea in the first of two internships at EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory as he studied the influence of humic substances (organic soil components) on uranium migration. Raymat’s research centers on an innovative remediation technique using a low-cost unrefined humic substance known as Huma-K to help remove uranium from groundwater. EM is responsible for cleanup of several large groundwater contamination plumes containing uranium and other radionuclides across the DOE complex, so finding efficient, low-cost remedies is a high priority.
In his second internship, Raymat expanded his research to look at Huma-K’s interaction with other heavy metals. The impact of his research could extend beyond EM to address groundwater contamination due to mining, battery recycling plants and other operations.
Dr. Miles Denham mentored Raymat during his SRS internships, and even participated in his Ph.D. dissertation committee.
“Hansell brings such enthusiasm and insight to his research that it has been a pleasure mentoring him for his internships and serving on his dissertation committee," Denham said. “He is a fine exemplar of the DOE Fellows program."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
