Geoffrey B. Smith, PhD, Professor of NMSU Biology:

Research Areas. Geoffrey B. Smith, PhD, Professor of NMSU Biology

Eight PhD and fourteen MS students have obtained their graduate degrees under Smith’s direction.

Environmental Detection of Microbial Pathogens. The overarching goal of this research area is to understand how long microbial pathogens are harbored in environmental reservoirs in between disease outbreaks, and to develop new techniques to detect environmental bioagents. We have developed a new method to simultaneously concentrate bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens from surface waters (Morales et al. 2003), and have used this to document prevalent pathogen occurrence in the U.S. / Mexico Rio Grande watershed (Morales et al. 2006). Another biodetection approach is our work with Dr. Gary Eiceman, NMSU Chemistry, in which we are developing a near real-time microbial detection method based on differential mobility spectrometry and microbial pyrolysis (Prasad et al. 2007; Schmidt et al. 2006; Eiceman et al. 2005). In a separate project, we are currently doing microbial source tracking work in northern New Mexican streams.

Applications of Microbial Catalysis. Current biocatalysis work is centered on converting waste to resource in the form of methane, hydrogen and bioelectricity. This is a collaborative effort with NMSU’s Drs. Khandan and Deng, and we have developed a novel biofuel process (Biohydrogenesis™) to produce hydrogen gas from solid wastes. In collaboration with Los Alamos National Lab scientist Dr. Don Reed, uranium and plutonium biocatalysis has been documented with different species of metal-reducing bacteria Reed et al. 2007). Other work involves the use of a fishbone-based material (Apatite II®) in stimulating the simultaneous bioremediation of the DoD contaminants lead, TNT and perchlorate (Martinez et al. 2005).

Publications Since 2000.

Prasad, S., K.M. Pierce, H. Schmidt, J.V. Rao, R. Guth, S. Bader, R.E. Synovec, G.B. Smith and G.A. Eiceman. Analysis of bacteria by pyrolysis gas chromatography–differential mobility spectrometry and isolation of chemical components with a dependence on growth temperature. The Analyst. 132:1-10. (2007)

Reed, D.T., S.E. Pepper, M.K. Richmann, G.B. Smith, R. Deos, B.E. Rittmann. Subsurface bio-mediated reduction of higher-valent uranium and plutonium. J. Alloys Comp. 445:376-382 (2007)

Morales-Morales, H.A., Vidal. G., C.M. Rock, D. Dasgupta, A. A. Martinez, K.H. Oshima, and G. B. Smith. Analysis of Distribution Patterns of Bacteria, and Protozoan Pathogens Along the Rio Grande at the United States-México Border. NM. J. Science. 44:1-18 (2006)

Prasad, S., H. Schmidt, P. Lampen, M. Weing, R. Guth, J.V. Rao, G.B. Smith and G.A Eiceman. Analysis of bacterial strains with pyrolysis-gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometry. The Analyst 131:1216-1225. (2006)

Schmidt, H. F. Tadjimukhamedov, K.M. Douglas, S. Prasad, G.B. Smith and G.A. Eiceman. Quantitative assessment and optimization of parameters for pyrolysis of bacteria with gas chromatographic analysis. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 76:161-168 (2006).

Martinez, M.N. S.S. Hightower, G.B. Smith, W.Mueller, J.L. Conca and J. Wright. 2005. The effect of apatite II™ on the biodegradation of TNT and perchlorate in contaminated soil samples. Pg. x-y in the Proceedings of the DoD Sustainable Ranges Conference, San Antonio, TX. Aug. 22-25, 2005.

Eiceman, G.A., D. Young and G.B. Smith. Mobility spectrometry of amino acids and peptides with matrix assisted laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) in air and at ambient pressure. Microchem. J.81:108-116 (2005)

Funk, P.A.,C. B. Armijo, A. T. Hanson, Z. A. Samani, M. A. Macias-Corral, G. B. Smith, J. T. Riordan. Converting Gin and Dairy Wastes to Methane. Trans. Amer. Soc. Ag. Engineer. 48:1197-1201. (2005)

Schmidt, H. F. Tadjimukhamedov, I. V. Mohrenz, G.B. Smith and G.A. Eiceman. 2004. Microfabricated differential mobility spectrometry with pyrolysis gas chromatography for chemical characterization of bacteria. Anal. Chem. 76:5208-5217. (2004)

Clark, S., and G.B. Smith. Outbreak! - Teaching Clinical and Diagnostic Microbiology Methodologies with an Interactive Online Game. J. of College Sci. Teach. 34: 2-5. (2004)

da Silva Nunes-Halldorson, V., R.L. Steiner and G.B. Smith. Residual Toxicity after Biodegradation: interactions Among Benzene, Toluene and Chloroform. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety. 57:162-167. (2004)

Morales-Morales, H.A. G. Vidal, J.Olszewski, C.M. Rock, D. Dasgupta, K.H.Oshima, and G. B. Smith. Optimization of a reusable hollow fiber ultrafilter for the simultaneous concentration of enteric bacteria, protozoa and viruses from water. Applied & Environ. Microbiol. 69:4098-4102. (2003).

Olivas, Y., J. Dolfing and G.B. Smith. The influence of redox potential on the degradation of C₁-halogenated hydrocarbons. Environ. Toxicol. & Chemistry. 21:493-499. (2002)

Yu, H.W., Z. Samani, A. Hanson and G.B. Smith. Energy recovery from grass using two-phase

anaerobic digestion. J. Waste Management. 22:1-5. (2002).

T.R. Ruiz, S. Andrews and G.B. Smith. Identification and characterization of DNA nuclease activities in anaerobic environmental samples. Canad. J. Microbiol. 46:736-740 (2000).

Yu, Z. and G.B. Smith. Inhibition of methanogenesis by C₁ and C₂-polychlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons. Environ. Toxicol. & Chem. 19:2212-2217 (2000a)

Yu, Z. and G.B. Smith. Dechlorination of polychlorinated methanes by a sequential methanogenic-denitrifying bioreactor. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 53:484-489 (2000b).