Ghinwa Melodie NAJA, PhD

 
Dr. Naja

Dr. G. Melodie NAJA  
Environmental Scientist

    

icon Contact Points :

18001 Old Cutler Road
PALMETTO BAY,  Florida 33157
USA
 

 Everglades Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

icon Professional Fields :
  • Water Quality, Environmental Physical Chemistry
  • Water Purification, Wastewater Treatment, Water-Soil Interactions, Biosorption
  • Environmental Modeling, Process Modeling  
  • Nanoparticle Applications

icon Degrees :

  • Ph.D.  Environmental Physical Chemistry:  University Henry Poincaré,  Nancy-I, France (2001) 

  • M.Sc.  Molecular Chemistry and Physical Chemistry:  University Henry Poincaré, Nancy-I, France 
  • B.Sc.  Physical Chemistry:  University Henry Poincaré, Nancy-I, France 

icon CV Brief :                                         (full Professional Resume in PDF)

Dr. G. Melodie NAJA has recently been appointed an Environmental Scientist with the Everglades Foundation in Miami, Florida.  She obtained her PhD in Physical Chemistry in Nancy, France.  Her original research at the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS/CPB in France, 1997-2001) expanded into the fields of ecology, environmental engineering, systems analysis and analytical nano-biotechnology.  Following several years of teaching with the Lebanese University, she won a prestigious UNESCO-L'OREAL Fellowship for Women in Science (2004-2005) followed by an invitation as a Visiting Professor to carry out research at McGill University in Montreal where she focused on developing mathematical models and computer simulations for environmental and solid/liquid sorption systems.  She also became engaged as the Executive Vice-President with BV Sorbex, Inc., a private company commercializing biosorption technology and involved in worldwide consulting for industrial effluent treatment.  Her Research Officer position with the National Research Council of Canada allowed her to apply her talents at one of the most prestigious research institutions in Canada, the Biotechnology Research Institute in Montreal.  For her achievements she has recently been appointed to the Lebanese Legion of Honor.

icon Honours and Awards :

icon Visiting Professor and Research Associate :

icon Industrial Experience :

  • Invited Specialist, Member of the International Working Group - AFSSET (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'environnement et du travail) – Government of France (2007-Present)

  • Expert Consulting:  Water quality, Technical and Analytical Methodology - Ondeo, Lebanon

    • (2002-2004)
  • Corporate management:  New Technology Venture - Technology transfer, Financing and Management,  BV Sorbex, Inc., Canada
    • (2006-Present)
  • Collaboration and Personnel Training:  Technical and Scientific, Areva-Cogema, France (1997-2001)

icon RESEARCH INTERESTS :

    icon  Water Quality and Behavior of Environmental Systems : 

    Florida Everglades represent a large-scale natural ecosystem of ultimate importance to Florida economy and sustainable development.  Its imperiled water quality depends mainly on controlling nutrient concentrations (phosphorus and nitrogen), involving both detection and removal challenges. Water pollution by toxic heavy metals (mercury, lead and others) is also an urgent problem, especially in areas generating large amounts of industrial waste and in mining regions.  Many types of natural materials, whether of mineral origin, such as clay, or of organic origin, such as biological debris, contain molecules that can react with and trap metal pollutants and thus purify contaminated water. The aim is to discover which materials most effectively immobilize toxic metals and to optimize their cost-effective applications.  These studies could be very theoretical aimed at understanding the phenomena involved, or very practical in developing and applying the remediation process - sometimes on a huge scale, like in the case of Florida Everglades.
     

    icon Biosorption process : 

    • Development of new biosorbent materials

    • Establishment of equilibrium relationships for metal biosorption
    • Biosorption of Heavy Metal and toxic ionic species
    • Process performance optimization of flow-through (bio)sorption systems

icon Modeling and Simulation :

     Due to the complex nature of environmental processes and systems it is necessary to employ sophisticated advanced computational techniques to assess the process/system performance. There are special software packages for designing constructed wetlands - a system used for Everglades water purification. In addition, FEMLAB  is a contemporary and very powerful software package designed for solving sets of ordinary and/or partial differential equations such as used for modeling physical and chemical phenomena. The program is being used to predict and optimize performance of water treatment processes, sorption operations, aquifer flow behavior, etc.

    icon Environmental System Performance : 

    • Mass balances and behavior of pollutants
    • Aquifer and environmental system behavior
    • Instrumental analyses for water quality assessment
    • Biosorption process performance
    • Prediction of equilibrium and flow-through process behavior
    • Mass balances and behavior of pollutants
    • Solution of Schrodenger Equations for electron orbitals 
       

icon COLLABORATIONS :

icon Teaching - University and Professional Development Courses:

  • Physical Chemistry (Theoretical and Experimental)

  • Water Purification, Wastewater Treatment and Water  Pollution Control
  • General Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Intensive Professional Development Course on "Sorption and Biosorption" organized by DECHEMA e.V. in Frankfurt, Germany.  The course has been developed and given jointly with Prof. B. Volesky (McGill University).


icon SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS :

  • Chebud, Y., Naja, G.M., Rivero, R. and Melesse A. M. (2011). Water quality monitoring using remote sensing and an artificial neural network. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (submitted).

  • Modelon, H., Rousselle, C., Leroux, C., Bellenfant, G., Ramalho, O., Naja, G.M. and Jaeg, J. P. (2011). Health risk assessment of chemical compounds for biogas home users. Indoor Air (just published).

  • Lara, R. H., Briones, G., Monroy, M. G., Humbert, B., Naja, G.M. and Cruz R. (2011). An experimental study of galena weathering under simulated calcareous soil conditions. Chemical Geology (submitted).

  • Naja, G. and Volesky, B. (2011). Sewage of Tripoli. A review of the current situation and of the future planning. Lebanese Science Journal (submitted).

  • Corrales, J., Naja, G.M., Dziuba, C., Rivero, R. and Orem, W. (2011). Sulfate threshold target to control methylmercury levels in wetland ecosystems. Science of the Total Environment, 409, 11, 2156-2162. LI>

  • Liu, G., Naja, G.M., Kalla, P., Scheidt, D., Gaiser, E. and Cai, Y. (2011). Legacy and fate of mercury and methylmercury in the Florida Everglades. Environmental Science and Technology, 45, 2, 496-501.

  • Naja, G., Rivero, R., Davis, S. and Van Lent, T. (2011). Hydrochemical impacts of limestone rock mining. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 217, 1, 95-104.

  • Banerjee, R., Katsenovich, Y., Lagos, L., Naja, G.M., Pannell, K. H. and Li, C. (2010). Functional magnetic nanoparticles integrated magnetic sensor for amperometric tracing of environmental uranium contamination. Electrochimica Acta, 55, 27, 7897-7902.

  • Naja, G.M., Bouvrette, P. and Luong, J. H. T. (2010). Detection limit of E. coli in milk and apple juice using two types of activated silver nanoparticles. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 162, 2, 460-475

  • Naja, G.M., Raychoudhury, T. and Ghoshal, S. (2010). Assessment of transport of two polyelectrolyte-stabilized zero-valent iron nanoparticles in porous media. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 118, 3-4, 143-151.

  • Naja, G.M., Murphy, V. and Volesky B (2009). Biosorption, metals. Encyclopedia of Industrial Biotechnology Bioprocess, Bioseparation, and Cell Technology. Ed: Flickinger, M. C. Wiley, pp. 4500.

  • Naja, G.M., Apiratikul, R., Pavasant, P., Volesky, B and Hawari, J. (2009). Dynamic and equilibrium studies of the RDX removal from soil using CMC-coated zerovalent iron nanoparticles. Environmental Pollution, (in press).

  • Naja, G.M., Halasz, A.M., Thiboutot, S., Ampleman, G. and Hawari, J. (2008). RDX degradation using stabilised zerovalent iron nanoparticles. Environ. Sci.  Technol. 42, 12, 4364-4370.

  • Naja, G.M.  and Volesky, B. (2008). Optimization of a biosorption column performance. Environ. Sci. Technol. 42, 15, 5622-5629.
  • Naja, G.M., Hrapovich, S., Male, K., Bouvrette, P., and Luong, J. H. T. (2008). Rapid detection of microorganisms with nanoparticles and electron microscopy. Microsc. Res. Tech. 71, 10, 742-748.
  • Naja, G.M., Murphy, V., and Volesky B (2008). Biosorption, metals. Ency. Ind. Biotechnol. (accepted Dec 2007).
  • Naja, G.M., Mustin, C., Volesky, B. and Berthelin, J. (2008). Biosorption study in a mining wastewater reservoir. Int. J. Environ. Poll., 34, 1-4, 14-27.
  • Volesky, B. and Naja, G.M. (2007). Biosorption technology: starting up an enterprise. Int. J. Technol. Trans. Com. 6, 196-211.
  • Diniz, V., Weber, M. W., Volesky, B and  Naja, G.M. (2007). Column biosorption of lanthanum and europium by Sargassum.  Water Res., 42, 1-2, 363-371.
  • Naja, G.M. (2007). Environmental Crisis and Public Policy. AGORA.
  • Naja, G.M., Bouvrette, P., Liu, Y., Hrapovich, S and Luong, J. H. T. (2007). Detection of bacteria aided by immuno-nanoparticles.  J. Raman Spectrosc., 38, 11, 1383-1389.
  • Naja, G.M., Bouvrette, P., Hrapovich, S and Luong, J. H. T. (2007). Detection of bacteria using silver nanoparticles and antibodies: a SERS study.  Analyst, 132, 7, 679-686.
  • Naja, G.M., Volesky, B and Schnell, A. (2006). Comparative testing of tangential microfiltration for microbial cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng., 95, 4, 584-598.
  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B. (2006). Multi-metal biosorption in a fixed-bed flow-through column.  Colloids Surf., A, 281, 1-3, 194-201.
  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B. (2006). Behavior of the mass transfer zone in a biosorption column. Environ. Sci. Technol., 40, 12, 3996-4003.
  • Naja, G., Volesky, B and Schnell, A. (2006). Performance analysis of an integrated tangential microfilter fermentor.  J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol., 81, 4, 648-658.
  • Naja, G., Mustin, C., Volesky, B. and Berthelin, J. (2006). Association constants of Pb2+ with binding sites of fungal biomass using metal-based titrations. Environ. Technol., 27, 1, 109-117.
  • Naja, G., Mustin, C., Volesky, B. and Berthelin, J. (2006). Stabilization of the initial electrochemical potential for a metal-based potentiometric titration study of a biosorption Process. Chemosphere, 62, 1, 163-170.
  • Naja, G., Mustin, C., Volesky, B. and Berthelin, J. (2005). Lead biosorption study with Rhizopus arrhizus using a metal-based titration technique. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 292, 2, 537-543.
  • Naja, G., Mustin, C., Volesky, B. and Berthelin, J. (2005). A High resolution titrator: A new approach to studying binding sites of microbial biosorbents. Water Res., 39, 579-586.

icon BOOK CHAPTERS (UPON INVITATION) :

  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B (2011). Environmental Biotechnology: Biotechnology in Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality Amelioration.  In: Comprehensive biotechnology.  Ed.: Agathos, S. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B (2011). Environmental Biotechnology: Biosorption for Industrial Applications. In: Comprehensive biotechnology. Ed.: Agathos, S. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B (2011). Mechanisms and (Bio)chemistry of Metal Ion Biosorption.  In: Microbial Biosorption of Metals.  Ed.: Kotrba, P., Mackova, M. and Macek, T.  Springer, Germany, pp.19-58.
  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B (2009). Metals in the Environment: Toxicity and sources. In: Heavy Metal in the Environment. Handbook of Environmental Engineering. Ed: Wang, L. W., Chen, J. P., Hung, Y-T., Shammas, N. K.. Humana Press, pp.13-61.
  • Naja, G.M. and Volesky, B (2009). Treatment of metal bearing effluents: removal and recovery. In: Heavy Metal in the Environment. Handbook of Environmental Engineering. Ed: Wang, L. W., Chen, J. P., Hung, Y-T., Shammas, N. K.. Humana Press, 247-292.

icon MEETING INVITATIONS :

  • Invited Expert Panel Member:  Amer. Soc. Civ. Eng. - Symposium on Water Reuse, Miami, Florida, USA, May 15, 2009.
  • Invited keynote speaker: Launching of NSERC/Industrial Alliance, Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, Universite Laval, Quebec City, Canada, 30 April 2008.
  • BIOVISION-2008, 11-16 April, Alexandria (The World Academy of Science - invitation).
  • ICSU, International Council for Science, Lindau, Germany. April 2007, (UNESCO invitation).
  • International Conference on Environmental Epidemiology and Exposure, AFSSET, Paris, France. 2-6 September 2006, (L'Oreal invitation).
  • 4th World Conference of Science Journalists. Reporting the future: Journalism meets emerging science. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 4-8 October 2004, (L'Oreal invitation).

icon REFEREED PROCEEDINGS :

  • Banerjee, R., Katsenovich, Y., Naja, G.M. and Li, C. (2009). Using nano-sensors in environmental radionuclide monitoring, 25th Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference, IFMBE (International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering) Proceedings 24, pp. 197-198.
  • Prabhulkar, S., Alwarrapan, S., Naja, G.M. and Li, C. (2009). Electrochemical immunosensor for the direct, reagentless detection of tumor biomarkers, 25th Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference, IFMBE (International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering) Proceedings 24, pp. 195-196.
  • Leroux, C., Modelon, H., Rousselle, C., Bellenfant, G., Jaeg, J. P., Ramalho, O., Zdanevitch, I. and Naja, G.M. (2009). Risk assessment of biogas exposure in kitchens, Healthy Building, Syracuse, New York, pp. 4-8.
  • Naja, G.M., Raychoudhury, T. and Ghoshal, S. (2008). Bare and modified nanoiron characterization and transport in sand packed columns. 24th Eastern Canada Symposium of the Canadian Association for Water Quality and 8th Annual Symposium of the McGill Brace Center for Water Resource Management, pp. 48-49.
  • Naja, G.M., Diniz, V. and Volesky, B. (2005). Predicting Metal Biosorption Performance.  In:   Proceedings of the 16th Internat. Biotechnol. Symp., (ISBN #0-920051-17-1). Harrison, S.T.L., Rawlings, D.E. and Petersen, J., eds. IBS – Compress Co., Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 553-562.
  • Volesky, B. and Naja, G.M. (2005). Biosorption: Application Strategies. In:   Proceedings of the 16th Internat. Biotechnol. Symp., (ISBN #0-920051-17-1). Harrison, S.T.L., Rawlings, D.E. and Petersen, J., eds. IBS – Compress Co., Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 531-542.
  • Naja, G.M., Deneux-Mustin, S., Mustin, C., Rouiller, J., Munier-Lamy, C. and Berthelin, J., (2000). Potentiometric titration: A dynamic method to study the metal-binding mechanism of microbial biomass. In: Amils, R., Ballester, A., (Eds.).  International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Part B, pp. 201-210.
  • Naja, G., Peiffert, C., Cathelineau, C. and Mustin, C., (2000). Sorption of rare earth elements and uranium on biomass: A kinetic study of competition processes.  In: Amils, R., Ballester, A., (Eds.). International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Part B, pp. 343-350.

icon Reports :

  • Naja, G. (2010)  "Assessment of Best Management Practices in Northern Everglades", ( Everglades Foundation Report).
  • Naja, G. and Volesky, B. "Sewage of Tripoli", (CESMO - Centre d'Etudes Strategiques pour le Moyen-Orient, Report 2006).
  • Naja, G.  "Characterization of sorption/desorption phenomenon onto an organo-mineral component for water remediation. Studies of a mining water lake 18000 Ecarpiere", (Cogema Report).
  • Naja, G.  "Study of the biological stability of organo-metallic associations", (Cogema Report).
  • Naja, G.  "Technical Expertise of the Analytical Methods used in Tripoli.Water Quality", (Ondeo Report).
  • Naja, G.  "Physico-Chemical and Bacteriological Methods used and proposed for the drinking water analyses in Tripoli", (Ondeo Report).