Faculty & Staff Directory
Gregory Foster
- Professor of Chemistry
- Senior Fellow, Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Gregory D. Foster
- Job Title
- Professor of ChemistrySenior Fellow, Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Potomac Science Center, Room 3116, MSN 3E2Office Hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9-5 pm
Affiliations
Departments
- Chemistry & Biochemistry Department (Research Faculty)
- Chemistry & Biochemistry Department (Instructional Faculty)
Centers
- Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (PEREC)
Research Areas
- Biochemistry
- Environmental Science and Policy
- Aquatic toxicology
- Environmental Chemistry
Education
- PhD, Environmental Chemistry, UC Davis (1985)
- MS, Marine Science, Moss Landing Marine Laboratory (1981)
- BS, Biological Sciences, UC Davis (1978)
About
Research (60%) and Teaching (40%) duties.
Current Research
My research is in the source, reactions and transport of organic substances (humic substances, marine toxins and micropollutants) in the aquatic environment.
Current Projects Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater Discharge in the Potomac River Sediment-Water Fluxes of Pharmaceuticals in the Tidal Freshwater Potomac River Development of Passive Sampling for Per-&Poly-fluoroalkylsubstances (PFAS) in Water Bisphenol A and Other Endocrine Disruptors in the Anacostia River (Washington, DC) Environmental Mass Spectrometry of Micropollutants in the Tidal Freshwater Potomac River
Teaching Focus
I teach chemistry courses.
- Chem 211/212 General Chemistry
- Chem 427/627 Aquatic Environmental Chemistry
- Chem 651 Environmental Chemistry of Organic Substances
Selected Publications
- Foster, G, Walls C, McEachern, PR, Huff, TB, McBride, R (2019) Sedimentary profiles of pollution marker chemicals along a large tributary of Chesapeake Bay (mid-Atlantic USA). J Soils Sediments 19(3), 1511-1526. DOI: 10.1007/s11368-018-2157-2.
- Barboza LG, João F, Booth AM, Vieira LR, Masura J, Baker J, Foster G, Guilhermino L (2018) Marine Pollution by Microplastics: Environmental Contamination, Biological Effects, and Research Challenges, In Charles Sheppard (Ed.) World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation, 2nd Edition, Volume III: Ecological Issues and Environmental Impacts, Elsevier Publishers (DOI. 10.1016/B978-0-12-805052-1.00020-6)
- Arya G, S Tadayon, J Sadighian, J Jones, K de Mutsert, T Huff and G Foster (2017) Pharmaceutical chemicals, steroids and xenoestrogens in water, sediments and fish from the tidal freshwater Potomac River (Virginia, USA). J Environ Sci Health A52, 686-696
- Shala, L and GD Foster (2010) Surface Water Concentrations and Loading Budgets of Pharmaceuticals and Other Domestic-Use Chemicals in an Urban Watershed (Washington, DC, USA). Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 58, 551-561
- Foster GD, EC Roberts, Jr., B Gruessner and DJ Velinsky (2000) Hydrogeochemistry and transport of hydrophobic organic contaminants in an urban watershed of Chesapeake Bay (USA). App. Geochem 15, 901-915
Awards
OSCAR Mentoring Excellence Award (2019)
Teacher of Distinction (2017)
Tracking opioids in the environment
As opioid use continues to proliferate, the drugs enter more people's bodies, where they break down into metabolites often other opioids that end up in wastewater. Scientists have detected opioids downstream of wastewater treatment plants and are concerned about the potent drugs possible effects on organisms who live in those waters.
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Gregory D. Foster
- Job Title
- Professor of ChemistrySenior Fellow, Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Potomac Science Center, Room 3116, MSN 3E2Office Hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9-5 pm