Logan Swaren
Dr. Konhauser's Geomicrobiology Lab
Dr. Alessi's Water Resources Lab
University of Alberta
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Geomicrobiology & Environmental Geochemistry
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Bachelor of Science - Specialization in Geology with Distinction
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
2018 - Present
2013 - 2017
Research Interests
Geobiology
I am interested in the trace metal complexes associated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in marine environments. It has been known for decades that DOC absorbs trace metals in the water column, but advances in instrumentation allows for molecular determination of these trace metal complexes.
Environmental Remediation
Collaborated in multiple studies testing the effectiveness of biochar as a remediation technique to immobilize cadmium, chromium, and selenium from soils
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Hao, W., Mand, K., Swaren, L., Myers, K.D., Lalonde, S.V., Wilmeth, D.T., Van Zuilen, M., Wilson, S.A., Alessi, D.S., Konhauser, K.O. (in review) Trace element partitioning in hydrothermal muds from the El Tatio Geyser Field, Chile. Journal of Geophysical Research – Solid Earth.
Swaren, L., Hao, W., Melnyk, S., Baker, D., Li, Y., Owttrim, G.W., Zeng, H., Gingras, M.K., Alessi, DS., Konhauser, K.O. (accepted) Surface reactivity of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 – Implications for trace metal transport to the oceans. Chemical Geology.
Swaren, L., Hao, W., von Guten, K., Wilson, S.A., Alessi, D.S., Planavsky, N., Tarhan, L., Gingras, M.K., Konhauser, K.O. (in press) The influence of invertebrate faecal material on compositional heterogeneity, diagenesis and trace metal distribution in the Ogeechee River estuary, Georgia, USA. Sedimentology.
Hao, W., Flynn, S.L., Kashiwabara, T., Alam, M.S., Bandara, S., Swaren, L., Robbins, L.J., Alessi, D.S., Konhauser, K.O. (in press) The impact of ionic strength on the proton reactivity of clay minerals. Chemical Geology 529, 119294.
Alam, M.S., Swaren, L., von Gunten, K., Cossio, M., Bishop, B., Robbins, L.J., Hou, D., Flynn, S.L., Ok, Y.S., Konhauser, K.O., Alessi, D. S. (2018) Application of surface complexation modeling to trace metals uptake by biochar-amended agricultural soils. Applied Geochemistry 88, 103-112.
Conference Presentations
Alessi, D.S., Alam, M.S., Swaren, L., von Gunten, K., Cossio, M., Bishop, B., Robbins, L.J., Hou, D., Flynn, S.L., Ok, Y.S., Konhauser, K. O. (2017) Predicting trace metals distribution and speciation in biochar-amended agricultural soils using thermodynamic modeling. 8th International Conference on Geochemistry in the Tropics & Sub-Tropics, Peking University – Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China.
Alessi, D.S., Alam, M.S., Cossio, M., von Gunten, K., Swaren, L., Robbins, L.J., Chen, N., Gorman-Lewis, D., Kenney, J.P.L., Flynn, S.L., Ok, Y.S., Konhauser, K. O. (2017) Molecular-scale mechanisms and models of metals immobilization by biochar. 2nd International Conference on Biological Waste as Resource, Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Alessi, D.S., Alam, M.S., Cossio, M., Bishop, B., Hao, W., Swaren, L., Snihur, K., Warchola, T.J., von Gunten, K., Flynn, S.L., Ok, Y.S., Konhauser, K.O. (2017) Impact of biochar amendment on trace metals speciation in agricultural soils. 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA.