Homepage for P. Suresh C. Rao (Purdue University)

P. Suresh C. Rao
Lee A. Rieth Distinguished Professor
Area: Soil Physics, Watershed Hydrology, Water Quality, Site Remediation and Characterization

School of Civil Engineering and Department of Agronomy

Mailing Address:
School of Civil Engineering
Purdue University
1284 Civil Engineering Bldg.
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1284

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Contact Information:

Telephone:	765-496-6554	Office Location: 3145B Civil Engineering Bldg.
FAX:	765-494-0395
Email:	pscr@purdue.edu

Research Areas:
Site remediation work has involved development of innovative technologies for enhanced remediation (in-situ flushing with cosolvents and surfactants) and performance testing at several field sites (Hill AFB, Utah; Jacksonville, FL; Borden CFB, Canada; Dover AFB, Delaware). New tracer techniques were developed and field-tested for characterizing the total volume and spatial distribution of nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) and air in subsurface settings.

Work at Ft. Benning, Georgia is underway to develop efficient indicators for monitoring the impacts of land-use management practices on ecosystem integrity and function. This project focuses on linking hydrologic and biogeochemical processes at the watershed scale to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem health (integrity & functions).

Recent Publications:
Annable, M.D., P.S.C. Rao, K. Hatfield, W.D. Graham, A.L. Wood, and C.G. Enfield. 1998. Partitioning tracers for measuring residual NAPL: Field-scale test results. J Env.Eng, 124(6):498-503.

Annable, M.D., J. W. Jawitz, P.S.C. Rao, D.P. Dai, H.K. Kim, and A.L. Wood. 1998. Field evaluation of interfacial and partitioning tracers for characterization of effective NAPL-water contact areas. Ground Water, 36(3):495-502.

Kim H, M.D. Annable, and PSC Rao. 1998. Influence of air-water interfacial adsorption and gas-phase partitioning on the transport of organic chemicals in unsaturated porous media. Env. Sci. Technol. 32(9): 1253-1259.

Jawitz J.W., M.D. Annable, P.S.C. Rao, et al. 1998. Field implementation of a Winsor type I surfactant/alcohol mixture for in situ solubilization of a complex LNAPL as a single-phase microemulsion. Environ. Sci. Technol. 32(4):523-530.

Sillan, R.K., M.D. Annable, P.S.C. Rao, D. Dai, K. Hatfield, W.D. Graham, A.L. Wood, and C.G. Enfield. 1998. Evaluation of in situ cosolvent flushing dynamics using a network of spatially distributed multi-level samplers. Water Resour. Res., 34 (9):2191-2202.

Spatial distribution of NAPL content estimated using the partitioning tracer test conducted in a test cell at Hill AFB (from: Sillan et al., 1998; WRR 34:2191-2202).

Teaching Interests:
Contaminant Subsurface Hydrology
Site Remediation Technologies
Environmental Chemistry

Professional Experience:
Ph.D., Soil Science, University of Hawaii, 1974
M.S., Soil Science, Colorado State Univ., 1970
B.Sc., A.P. Agric. Univ, India, 1967

Professional Activities:

Director, Center for Natural Resources, Univ. of Florida, (1996-1999)

Graduate Research Professor(1993-99), Asst/Assoc/Full Professor (1974-92), Univ of Florida

Soil Science Research Award (1998)

Environmental Quality Research Award (1991

Fellow, Soil Science Society of America (1989)

Fellow, American Society of Agronomy (1989)

Editor, Jour. of Contaminant Hydrology (1985-92)

Assoc. Editor, Water Resources Research (`1990-93)

Member, Water Science & Technology Board, National Research Council (1988-91)

Co-Chair, Second Theis Conference on "Remediation of Subsurface Contaminants: Measures & Meaning of Success", Amelia Island, Florida (November 1999)

Education:
Ph.D., Soil Science, University of Hawaii, 1974
M.S., Soil Science, Colorado State Univ., 1970
B.Sc., A.P. Agric. Univ, India, 1967

Date joined staff: 1999

Web designer: cboone@purdue.edu
Last updated: October, 2003