[Last updated: February 1, 2010 ]

Academic Education

Research Interests

Much of Dr. Soares’s research has been directed towards the biological restoration of polluted groundwater and for a number of years now, she has studied biological removal of nitrate from drinking water. Nitrate can be removed by certain bacteria that, in the absence of oxygen, have the capacity to transform nitrate into nitrogen gas.

Different sources of carbon and energy can be supplied to these organisms, and both inorganic (hydrogen and elemental sulfur) and organic (cellulosic wastes, raw cotton, ethanol, acetate, etc.) sources have been tested with the objective of selecting a cost-effective, reliable, easy-to-operate and small footprint system.

A hydrogen-dependent denitrification system fulfilling all of these requirements was developed. Current bioremediation projects include (1) denitrification of brines from membrane desalination systems and (2) a comprehensive study of a compact vertical flow wetland system for the treatment of domestic wastewater, including an assessment of the environmental impact of treated water reuse in agriculture.

Other topics of research in progress are the role of microorganisms in the improved adaptation of plants to conditions of stress in arid environments, and soil microbial diversity along a rain gradient at the Israeli long-term ecological research (LTER) sites.

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