Dr. Apul is an Assistant Professor and an Endowed Libra Chair in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine. He earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Clemson University in 2014. His bachelor's and master's degrees are in Environmental Engineering from Turkey's Middle East Technical University.
Neil Fisher manages the environmental engineering laboratories as well as being a Lab instructor for basic Civil Engineering courses. Neil has over 18 years of experience working on innovative research and his specialties include custom instrumentation and data collection techniques in the lab.
Manisha earned her PhD and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India, in 2019 and 2014, respectively. Her BS degree is also in Chemical Engineering from M.B.M. University, India. She is interested in the fate and degradation of micropollutants/emerging contaminants/endocrine disrupting compounds/PPCPs/PFAS in water/wastewater treatment processes. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, painting, meditation, yoga and social work for child welfare.
Paulina is an MS student in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a focus on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering at the University of Maine. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito-Ecuador. Her research interests are environmental chemistry, advanced oxidation processes, and nanomaterials to address innovative solutions against environmental pollution, climate change, and clean water scarcity in rural and urban
areas. Additionally, she is interested in understanding the source and pathway of emerging pollutants in the environment and their effect on human health. In her spare time, Paulina enjoys outdoor activities like biking and running, and also reading, watching movies, and traveling.
Kenneth is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Maine. He has an M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology in Egypt and a B.S. degree in Minerals Engineering from the University of Mines and Technology in Ghana. Kenneth's research interests include advanced oxidation processes, adsorption, and biological treatment of water and wastewater. He is researching metastable oxygen nanobubbles for space exploration and other environmental applications, with the Apul Research Group. Kenneth spends his leisure time playing soccer, exercising at the gym, traveling, swimming, and hanging out with friends.
Grace is an MS student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine. She holds a B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, also from the University of Maine. She is researching the extent of microplastic pollution off the coast of Maine, as well as mitigation strategies that can be implemented to reduce it. In her spare time, Grace enjoys hiking, watching movies, and playing the flute.
Dilara is a Ph.D. student who started her work in Spring 2022. She holds an M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from Middle East Technical University and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey. Her master's studies focused on investigating the fate and effects of microplastics during sewage sludge treatment processes. In her spare time, Dilara enjoys swimming, cycling and oil painting.
Sonia is a Ph.D. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Maine. She earned her MS degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering at K. N. Toosi University of Technology in Tehran. Her research interest is utilizing nanomaterials for enabling pragmatic and sustainable water treatment methods to overcome emerging water treatment problems. She applies experimental and theoretical methodology for problem-solving in her research. In her spare time, Sonia likes swimming, watching movies, meeting with her friends, and traveling.
Would you like to live and work in Vacationland of the US? We always seek motivated and hard working team players to fill in positions at the University of Maine. If you are interested in becoming a team member, please email your (i) research interests in a cover letter (ii) a CV along with (iii) the names of your references to onur.apul@maine.edu.
University of Maine, a Carnegie R1, land, sea and space grant school, and flagship campus of UMaine system is located in town of Orono, which is a small, safe, lovable college town less than 15 minutes to Bangor. The campus is on Marsh Island surrounded with Penobscot and Stillwater Rivers about 2 hours north of Portland and 1.5 hours away from the popular coastal destination Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.
Thesis: Role of Microplastics on the release and adsorption of organic compounds in natural waters
Publications:
Collins, A., Ateia, M., Bhagat, K., Ohno, T., Perreault, F., Apul, O.G. 2023. Emerging Investigator Series: Microplastic-based Leachate Formation under UV Irradiation: The Extent, Characteristics and Mechanisms. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology. 9: 363-374.
Costigan, E., Collins, A., Hatinoglu, M.D., Bhagat, K., MacRae, J., Perreault, F., Apul, O.G. 2022. Adsorption of Organic Pollutants by Microplastics: Overview of A Dissonant Literature. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances. 6: 100091.
Selected Presentations:
Collins, A., Ateia, M., Bhagat, K., Ohno, T., Perreault, F., Apul, O.G. Microplastic leachate formation under UV irradiation: extent, characteristics, and mechanisms. AEESP Research and Education Conference, June 2022 (Poster Presentation).
Collins, A., Adams, A., Ateia, M., Perreault, F., Apul, O.G. Determination of organic matter leaching from microplastics during ultraviolet weathering. 95th ACS Colloid and Surface Science Symposium (Virtual), June 2021 (Poster Presentation).
Collins, A., Costigan, E., Bhagat, K., Oswald, J., Perreault, F. Apul, O.G. Adsorption of synthetic organic compounds by microplastics: A cacophonous literature. Maine Sustainability & Water Symposium (Virtual), March 2021 (Poster Presentation).
Publications:
Hoogesteijn von Reitzenstein, N., Sonmez, B., Pruitt, E., Hristovski, K., Westerhoff, P. Apul, O. G. 2022. Comparing the Morphologies and Adsorption Behavior of Electrospun Polystyrene Composite Fibers with 0D Fullerenes, 1D Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and 2D Graphene Oxides. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances. 9: 100199.
Sonmez, B., Zhang, Y., Reuther, J., Saleh, N., Venkatesan, A., Apul, O.G. 2021. Thermal Regeneration of Spent Granular Activated Carbon Presents an Opportunity to Break the Forever PFAS Cycle. Environmental Science and Technology, 55: 5608-5619.
Shahrokhinia, A., Rijal, S., Sonmez Baghirzade, B., Scanga, R., Biswas, P., Tafazoli, S., Apul, O.G., Reuther, J. 2022. Chain extensions in photoATRP-induced self-assembly (photoATR-pisa): A route to ultra-high solids concentrations and click nanoparticle networks as adsorbents for water treatment. ACS Macromolecules. 55: 3699-3710 (cover article).
Areeb, H., Sonmez-Baghirzade, B., Apul, O.G., Kirisits, M.J., Dev, S., Das, S., Islam, S., Lai, Y., Huntington, H., Umanzor, S., Wan-Ting, C., Aggarwal, S., Saleh, N. 2022. A symbiotic engineering approach for microplastic remediation in mariculture systems. ACS ES&T Engineering. 2: 606-616.
Selected Presentations:
Sonmez, B., Biswas, P., Reuther, J., Apul, O.G. Adsorption Capacity Enhanced by Tuning Carbon Size of Superfine Powdered Activated Carbon Electrospun Fiber. 2021 Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization Conference, November 2021 (Oral Presentation).
Sonmez, B., Zhang, Y., Reuther, J., Saleh, N. B., Venkatesan, A., Apul, O.G. Regeneration of Spent Granular Activated Carbon Presents an Opportunity to Break the Forever PFAS Cycle. SERDP & ESTCP (Virtual) Symposium, December 2020 (Poster Presentation)
Reuther, J., Apul, O.G., Shahrokhinia, A., Sonmez, B. Towards Dynamic Nanosphere Networks (DNNs): A Novel Platform for Regenerable Water Treatment Systems. American Chemical Society National Meeting, Division of Environmental Chemistry, August 2020, Virtual Meeting (Oral Presentation).
Sonmez, B., Wei, J., Wong, H.W., Apul, O.G. Breaking the Cycle of Forever Chemicals, Per- And Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water Treatment Systems. UMass Lowell Student Research & Community Engagement Symposium, April 2020, Lowell, MA (Poster Presentation).
Thesis: Repeatable use assessment of microwave susceptors as permanent bed in ex situ remediation of petroleum contaminated soils.
Publications:
Lafaille, R., Bozkurt, Y., Pruitt, E., Lewis, J., Bernier, R., Kong, D., Westerhoff, P., Dahlen, P., Apul, O.G., 2021. Repeatable Use Assessment of Silicon Carbide as Permanent Susceptor Bed in Ex Situ Microwave Remediation of Petroleum-Impacted Soils. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 4: 100116.
Bozkurt, Y., Lafaille, R., Lu, D., Zhang, X., Giles, R., Apul, O.G. 2021. Effects of carbonaceous susceptors during microwave pretreatment of waste activated sludge and subsequent anaerobic digestion. Bioresource Technology Reports 13: 100641.
Selected Presentations:
Lafaille, R., Pruitt, E., Lewis, J., Bernier, R., Dahlen, P., Apul, O.G. Repeatable Use of Susceptors in Microwave Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Soils. New England Graduate Student Water Symposium, September 2019, Amherst, MA (Poster Presentation).
Lafaille, R., Zhang, X., Giles, R., Apul, O.G. Nano-Enabled Microwave Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge. New England Graduate Student Water Symposium, September 2018, Amherst, MA (Poster Presentation).
Thesis: Nano-Enabled Microwave Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge Prior to Anaerobic Digestion Using Carbon Nanofibers.
Publications:
Lafaille, R., Bozkurt, Y., Pruitt, E., Lewis, J., Bernier, R., Kong, D., Westerhoff, P., Dahlen, P., Apul, O.G., 2021. Repeatable Use Assessment of Silicon Carbide as Permanent Susceptor Bed in Ex Situ Microwave Remediation of Petroleum-Impacted Soils. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 4: 100116.
Bozkurt, Y., Apul, O.G. 2020. Critical Review for Microwave Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge Prior to Anaerobic Digestion. Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health. 14: 1-9.
Bozkurt, Y., Lafaille, R., Lu, D., Zhang, X., Giles, R., Apul, O.G. 2021. Effects of carbonaceous susceptors during microwave pretreatment of waste activated sludge and subsequent anaerobic digestion. Bioresource Technology Reports 13: 100641.
Selected Presentations:
Bozkurt, Y., Lu, D., Zhang, X., Giles, R., Apul, O.G. Nano-enabled Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge prior to Anaerobic Digestion. Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization Conference, November 2019, San Diego, CA (Oral Presentation).
Bozkurt, Y., LaFaille, R., Zhang, X., Yu, T., Giles, R., Apul, O.G. Nano-Enabled Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge Prior to Anaerobic Digestion. Gordon Research Conference: Environmental Nanotechnology, June 2019, Newry, ME (Poster Presentation).
Bozkurt, Y., Zhang, X., Giles, R., Apul, O.G. Minimization of Biosolids by Microwave Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge Prior to Anaerobic Digestion – Critical Review. University of Massachusetts Lowell Student Symposium, April 2019, Lowell, MA (Poster Presentation).
Thesis: Removal of Organic Contaminants of Incipient Concern from Water by Graphitic Adsorbents
Publications:
Khalid, A., Rowles, L.S., Ateia, M., Xiao, M., Moses, I., Bello, D., Karanfil, T., Saleh, N., Apul, O.G.* 2020. Mesoporous activated carbon shows superior adsorption affinity for 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in water. Clean Water (Nature Partner Journal)
Saleh, N., Khalid, A., Tian, Y. Ayres, C., Sabaraya, I., Pietari, J., Hanigan, D., Chowdhury, I., Apul, O.G. 2019. Degradation and removal of poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances from aqueous systems by nano-enabled water treatment technologies. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology. 5: 198-208. (Journal Cover, selected for the Best Papers 2019 Collection).
Apul, O.G., Rowles, L.S., Khalid, A., Karanfil, T., Richardson, S., Saleh, N. 2020. Transformation potential of 11-Nor-9-Carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol during its passage through engineered water treatment systems: A perspective. Environment International. 137: 105586.
Selected Presentations:
Khalid, A., Pagsuyoin, S., Bello, D., Karanfil, T., Apul, O.G. Adsorption of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol by Carbon-Based Nano Adsorbents. 256th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exhibition. August 2018, Boston, MA (Oral Presentation).
Khalid, A., Tian, Y., Ayres, C., Sabaraya, I.V., Pietari, J., Chowdhury, I., Saleh, N.B., Apul, O.G. Removal of Poly- and Per-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Natural Waters. Cabot Corporation, Student Material Research Symposium. May 2018. Billerica, MA (Poster Presentation).
Khalid, A., Rowles, L.S., Apul, O.G., Saleh, N. Readily Deployable Electrospun Polymer/Nanocomposite Cartridge for Lead Removal from Drinking Water Distribution Pipelines. University of Massachusetts Lowell, Francis College of Engineering Prototyping Competition. December 2017. Lowell, MA (Poster Presentation/Best Poster Acc. to Crowd Voting).
Halle is a B.S. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine with a concentration in Environmental Engineering. Her current work with the Apul Research Group involves assisting Sonia Moavenzadeh with her research project focusing on the ways in which PFAs and soil interact in the environment. In Halle’s spare time, she enjoys lifting weights, reading, cooking, and playing the violin.
Sam is a B.S student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine. His work in the Apul Research Group is researching the sources and extent of microplastic pollution in Frenchman Bay. In Sam’s free time he enjoys swimming, running, and hiking.
Danny is a B.S student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine with a concentration in Water Resources Engineering. His work at Apul Research will include helping Dilara Hatinoglu in her research of thermal regeneration of spent granular activated carbon. In his free time Danny enjoys hiking, skateboarding, and snowboarding.
Madi is a B.S. student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Maine with a minor in Spanish and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in the future. She earned her general studies A.A. degree at the University of Maine in Presque Isle. Her current work with the Apul Research Group involves studying CO catalysts used for life support systems in space exploration. In Madi's free time, she enjoys playing on the ultimate frisbee team, hiking, traveling, and watching movies.
Dr. Sudheera Yaparatne worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Maine between 2021-2023. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at NJIT.
Zach Doherty worked as an undergraduate researcher in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Maine.
Dr. Seif Eldien worked as a visiting postdoctoral researcher in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Maine in 2022.
Louis Nicoloro graduated from the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Maine, (2022) after working on a NASA funded catalyst testing project.
Samantha Ismail, High School Student Researcher (2022) Project title: Detection and Characterization of Microplastics in Frenchman Bay. The project is a collaboration between Dr. Apul and Dr. Ross.
Jessica Liggiero graduated from Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine, (2022). She participated in a summer research project to search for microplastics off the coast of Maine. The project is a collaboration between Dr. Apul and Dr. Ross.
Jana Latayan, Undergraduate Researcher from University of Massachusetts Amherst Chemical Engineering (2018-2020) Project title: High-Resolution Capacitive Deionization for Selective PFAS Removal. Co-advised by Dr. Ertan Agar and Dr. Sheree Pagsuyoin.
Joe Egitto, Undergraduate Researcher from UMass Lowell Mechanical Engineering (2018-2020) Project title: High-Resolution Capacitive Deionization for Selective PFAS Removal. Co-advised by Dr. Ertan Agar and Dr. Sheree Pagsuyoin.
Matthew Tengtrakool, High School Student Researcher (2019) Project title: Repeated Use of Carbon Additives during Microwave Remediation for Targeted Heating of Petroleum Hydrocarbons. Currently at Harvard University