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I received my PhD in environmental analytical chemistry from the University of Bremen (Germany) in 1996 and my MSc in analytical chemistry from the Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany) in 1992.
Prior to joining Laurier in 2021, I was a Professor in the School of the Environment and the Department of Chemistry at Trent University (2002-2021). Before that, I was a Research Scientist at Frontier Geosciences in Seattle, WA, USA (1997-2002).
My research program focuses on the behavior and fate of the trace element selenium in freshwater ecosystems and associated industrial operations. We pursue three main areas of research:
- development of analytical methods for the determination of selenium and its individual chemical compounds (“species”) in water, air, soils/sediments and biota (“speciation analysis”)
- studying the chemical transformations and fate of selenium and its species in impacted aquatic ecosystems, including their interactions with organisms (ecotoxicology)
- design, optimization and troubleshooting of industrial treatment systems for selenium removal from process streams.
Our research is conducted in collaboration with, and supported by, many government and industrial partners.
I’m usually looking for bright and motivated students at all career stages (undergraduate, MSc, PhD and postdoctoral) to join our research team. Please contact me at dwallschlager@wlu.ca for specific opportunities currently available. Our research projects deal with various aspects of selenium biogeochemistry in ambient or industrial environments, and involve one or more of the following components:
- Instrumental analytical chemistry, especially chromatography and mass spectrometry.
- Environmental chemistry and toxicology.
- Industrial process stream treatment.
Where possible and appropriate, opportunities for field work and/or industrial collaboration will be made available to all members of my research group.
- The identification of selenopolythionates in aqueous solutions by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry. Bothen, J. and Wallschläger, D. Talanta. 2020.
- Determination of Se8 in sediments by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Farell, J. and Wallschläger, D. Talanta. 2018.
- Production and release of selenomethionine and related organic selenium species by microorganisms in natural and industrial waters. LeBlanc, K.L. and Wallschläger, D. Environmental Science & Technology. 2016.
- Production and release of selenocyanate by different green fresh water algae in environmental and laboratory studies. LeBlanc, K.L., Smith, M.S. and Wallschläger, D. Environmental Science & Technology. 2012.
- Identification and determination of selenosulfate and selenocyanate in flue gas desulfurization waters. Petrov, P.K., Charters, J.W. and Wallschläger, D. Environmental Science & Technology. 2012.
- Biogeochemical mechanisms of selenium exchange between water and sediments in two contrasting lentic environments. Martin, A.J., Simpson, S., Fawcett, S., London, J., Wiramanaden, C.I.E., Pickering, I.J., Belzile, N., Chen, Y.-W. and Wallschläger, D. Environmental Science & Technology. 2011.
- CH262: Analytical Chemistry II
- CH360: Advanced Instrumental Analysis
9/27/2021: I am looking for a Research Lab Coordinator.
You can find the job posting here:
https://careers.wlu.ca/job/Waterloo-Research-Laboratory-%28ChemistryBiochemistry%29-ON/724979147/
If you're interested in this position, please apply through the provided link (at the bottom of the page) by 10/15/2021. If you have any further questions about the position, please contact me by email.
09/13/2021: I have received funding for my first research project @ WLU!
I gratefully acknowledge $ 30,000 in funding provided by the government of the Northwest Territories to conduct a number of literature reviews related to "Selenium bioaccumulation in freshwater food chains in the NWT". The goals of this research project are to:
a) estimate selenium uptake by human populations in the NWT, and integrate it into the context of food consumption guidelines, and
b) assess the prospect of using selenium concentrations in NWT waters as "early warning triggers" for the potential of selenium concentrations in fish reaching or exceeding levels of concern.
08/11/201: I have received $ 200,000 in funding from CFI to buy new analytical instrumentation.
See the offical press release here:
07/01/2021: I have officially started my appointment at WLU.
See the official press release here: