Environmental Microbiology

Dr. Charles Greer
Tel.: (514) 496-6182
Fax: (514) 496-6265
E-mail: charles.greer@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
biography

Group Fact Sheet (pdf)

The Environmental Microbiology group investigates the microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and ecology involved in the biodegradation of organic pollutants in soil, sediment, and water. The group works on the development and application of molecular techniques and tools, used for isolating, enumerating and monitoring pollutant degrading/transforming microorganisms, and for monitoring microbial diversity and responses to environmental stress. The research team has developed a comprehensive, multidisciplinary protocol to make an initial assessment of the ability of indigenous microorganisms in a contaminated soil to degrade the contaminants. This helps determine whether a contaminated soil can be bioremediated. The group has developed catabolic gene probes from the microbial pathways responsible for the degradation of a variety of organic pollutants including petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and chlorinated and nitrated organic compounds. This helps assess the biodegradation potential of contaminated or non-contaminated environmental samples. Molecular techniques, including functional gene and taxonomic microarrays, have been developed to characterize the microbial diversity in a variety of contaminated and non-contaminated environments.

Juck DF, Whissell G, Steven B, Pollard W, McKay CP, Greer CW, Whyte LG (2005) Utilization of Fluorescent Microspheres and a GFP-marked Strain for Assessing Microbiological Integrity of Permafrost and Ground Ice Core Samples from the Canadian High Arctic. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 1035-1041.

Lawrence JR, Chenier MR, Roy R, Beaumier D, Fortin N, Swerhone GDW, Neu TR, Greer CW (2004) Microscale and Molecular Assessment of the Impacts of Nickel, Nutrients and Oxygen Level on the Structure and Function of River Biofilm Communities. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 4326-4339.

Greer CW, Fortin N, Roy R, Whyte LG, Lee K (2003) Indigenous Sediment Microbial Activity in Response to Nutrient Enrichment and Plant Growth Following a Controlled Oil Spill on a Freshwater Wetland. Bioremed. J. 7: 69-80.

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