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Investigating the effect of oil spills
on the environment and public health.
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Kathleen (Kathy) Schwehr

Texas A&M University at Galveston

Marine Sciences Department

P.O. Box 1675
Galveston , TX  77553  

schwehrk@tamug.edu

Project List:

Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers 2 (ADDOMEx-2): Towards a synthesis of process and pathways of marine oil snow formation

Year 8-10 Research Grants (RFP-VI)Role: Project Data Point of Contact, Task Lead, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Task Data Contact, Research Scientist

Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx)

Year 5-7 Consortia Grants (RFP-IV)Role: Project Data Point of Contact, Research Scientist, Data Team

Publications & Presentations:

Journal Articles - 19

2021

Kamalanathan, M., Schwehr, K. A., Labont?, J. M., Taylor, C., Bergen, C., Patterson, N., et al. (2021). The Interplay of Phototrophic and Heterotrophic Microbes Under Oil Exposure: A Microcosm Study. Front. Microbiol., 12, E675328.

2020

Bacosa, H. P., Kamalanathan, M., Cullen, J., Shi, D., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2020). Marine Snow Aggregates are Enriched in Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Oil Contaminated Waters: Insights from a Mesocosm Study. Jmse, 8(10), 781.
Kamalanathan, M., Doyle, S. M., Xu, C., Achberger, A. M., Wade, T. L., Schwehr, K., et al. (2020). Exoenzymes as a Signature of Microbial Response to Marine Environmental Conditions. mSystems, 5(2).
Lin, P., Xu, C., Xing, W., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2020). Partitioning of iron and plutonium to exopolymeric substances and intracellular biopolymers: A comparison study between the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and the diatom Skeletonema costatum. Marine Chemistry, 218(January 2020), 103735.
Santschi, P. H., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., Lin, P., Sun, L., Chin, W. - C., et al. (2020). Can the protein/carbohydrate (P/C) ratio of exopolymeric substances (EPS) be used as a proxy for their 'stickiness' and aggregation propensity? Marine Chemistry, 218, 103734.

2019

Kamalanathan, M., Chiu, M. - H., Bacosa, H., Schwehr, K., Tsai, S. - M., Doyle, S., et al. (2019). Role of Polysaccharides in DiatomThalassiosira pseudonanaand its Associated Bacteria in Hydrocarbon Presence. Plant Physiol., 180(4), 1898–1911.
Sun, L., Chin, W. - C., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). Sunlight induced aggregation of dissolved organic matter: Role of proteins in linking organic carbon and nitrogen cycling in seawater. Science of The Total Environment, 654, 872–877.
Wozniak, A. S., Prem, P. M., Obeid, W., Waggoner, D. C., Quigg, A., Xu, C., et al. (2019). Rapid Degradation of Oil in Mesocosm Simulations of Marine Oil Snow Events. Environ. Sci. Technol., 53(7), 3441–3450.
Xu, C., Chin, W. - C., Lin, P., Chen, H., Chiu, M. - H., Waggoner, D. C., et al. (2019). Comparison of microgels, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) determined in seawater with and without oil. Marine Chemistry, 215, 103667.
Xu, C., Lin, P., Zhang, S., Sun, L., Xing, W., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). The interplay of extracellular polymeric substances and oil/Corexit to affect the petroleum incorporation into sinking marine oil snow in four mesocosms. Science of The Total Environment, 693, 133626.

2018

Bacosa, H. P., Kamalanathan, M., Chiu, M. - H., Tsai, S. - M., Sun, L., Labonté, J. M., et al. (2018). Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) producing and oil degrading bacteria isolated from the northern Gulf of Mexico. PLoS ONE, 13(12), e0208406.
Kamalanathan, M., Schwehr, K. A., Bretherton, L., Genzer, J., Hillhouse, J., Xu, C., et al. (2018). Diagnostic tool to ascertain marine phytoplankton exposure to chemically enhanced water accommodated fraction of oil using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 130, 170–178.
Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Schwehr, K., Bretherton, L., Beaver, M., Doyle, S. M., et al. (2018). Extracellular Enzyme Activity Profile in a Chemically Enhanced Water Accommodated Fraction of Surrogate Oil: Toward Understanding Microbial Activities After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Front. Microbiol., 9.
Schwehr, K. A., Xu, C., Chiu, M. - H., Zhang, S., Sun, L., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Protein: Polysaccharide ratio in exopolymeric substances controlling the surface tension of seawater in the presence or absence of surrogate Macondo oil with and without Corexit. Marine Chemistry, 206, 84–92.
Sun, L., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Bacosa, H., et al. (2018). The effects of sunlight on the composition of exopolymeric substances and subsequent aggregate formation during oil spills. Marine Chemistry, 203(June 2018), 49–54.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Lin, P., Sun, L., Doyle, S. M., et al. (2018). The role of microbially-mediated exopolymeric substances (EPS) in regulating Macondo oil transport in a mesocosm experiment. Marine Chemistry, 206, 52–61.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Wozniak, A., Obeid, W., Lin, Y., et al. (2018). Decreased sedimentation efficiency of petro- and non-petro-carbon caused by a dispersant for Macondo surrogate oil in a mesocosm simulating a coastal microbial community. Marine Chemistry, 206, 34–43.

2017

Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2017). Light-induced aggregation of microbial exopolymeric substances. Chemosphere, 181, 675–681.

2016

Quigg, A., Passow, U., Chin, W. - C., Xu, C., Doyle, S., Bretherton, L., et al. (2016). The role of microbial exopolymers in determining the fate of oil and chemical dispersants in the ocean: Interactions of microbial exopolymers in oil and chemical dispersants. Limnol. Oceanogr., 1(1), 3–26.

Conference Presentations - 35

2020

Santschi, P., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., Lin, P., Sun, L., Chin, W. - C., et al. (2020). Can the protein/carbohydrate (P/C) ratio of exopolymeric substances (EPS) be used as a proxy for its 'stickiness' and other biophysical properties? In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020. San Diego, CA : 02/16/20-02/21/20.

2019

Lin, P., Xu, C., Passow, U., Chin, W., Chen, H., Chiu, M., et al. (2019). Comparison of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS), Transparent Exopolymeric Particles (TEP) and Microgels in Mesocosms and Batch Experiments with Macondo Oil Water Accommodated Fraction. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19: Poster.
Sun, L., Chin, W., Chiu, M., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). Sunlight Induced Aggregation of Dissolved Organic Matter in Seawater: Role of Proteins in Biologically Mediated Processes. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
Waggoner, D. C., Hughey, M., Yard, A., Schwehr, K. A., Doyle, S., Xu, C., et al. (2019). An Investigation into the Effects of Biodegradation vs. Photodegradation During Mesocosm Experiments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
White, A. R., Jalali-Mousavi, M., Bacosa, H. P., Xu, C., Chin, W., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). Drastic Differences in Aggregation on a Rising Oil Droplet Caused by Different EPS. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.

2018

Bacosa, H., Kamalanathan, M., Chiu, M. - H., Tsai, S. - M., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2018). Exopolymeric substance (EPS) production by bacterial isolates from the northern Gulf of Mexico in response to WAF, CEWAF and Corexit. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Bacosa, H., Kamalanathan, M., Cullen, J., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., Kaiser, K., et al. (2018). Marine snow aggregates are enriched in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oil contaminated waters; insights from a mesocosm study. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Bergen, C., Yard, A., Schwehr, K. A., Xu, C., Chiu, M. - H., Zhang, S., et al. (2018). Protein/polysaccharide ratio in exopolymeric substances controlling the surface tension of seawater in the presence or absence of oil and/or Corexit. In 2018 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/17/18-04/19/18: Poster.
Lin, P., Xu, C., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., Xing, W., Yard, A., et al. (2018). Production of Exopolymeric Substances and the roles in oil transport in Water-Accommodated Fraction of Oil and Corexit/Oil Contaminated Mesocosms. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Mapes, S., Kamalanathan, M., Chiu, M. - H., Bacosa, H., Schwehr, K., Bretherton, L., et al. (2018). Role of polysaccharide secretion by diatoms during an oil spill in the context of bacteria-diatom interaction. In Gulf of Mexico Graduate Student Symposium 2018. Dauphin Island, AL : 03/02/18-03/04/18: Poster.
Santschi, P. H., Passow, U., Chin, W. - C., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Comparison of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) with Transparent Exopolymeric Particles (TEP) and Microgels in Mesocosms. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Schwehr, K. A., Chiu, M. - H., Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Sun, L., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Insights on Does oil aggregate or emulsifyion with added dispersant? Results from measurements of surface tension, FTIR, and microscopy of Formation from colloidal EPS protein-polysaccharide interactions with oil and/or dispersants are added. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Schwehr, K. A., Chiu, M. - H., Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Sun, L., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Insights on Marine Oil Snow or Emulsion Formation from Protein-Polysaccharide Interactions with Oil and Dispersant from Surface Tension and Microscopy. In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2018. Portland, OR : 02/11/18-02/16/18.
Sun, L., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Bacosa, H., et al. (2018). The effects of sunlight on the composition of exopolymeric substances affecting the aggregates formation during oil spills. In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2018. Portland, OR : 02/11/18-02/16/18: Poster.
Sun, L., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Bocosa, H., et al. (2018). The effects of sunlight on the composition of exopolymeric substances affecting aggregate formation during oil spills. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
White, A. R., Jalali, M., Bacosa, H., Kamalanathan, M., Sun, L., Xu, C., et al. (2018). The effect of EPS composition on the aggregate formation on a crude oil drop interface. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Xu, C., Lin, P., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., Xing, W., Yard, A., et al. (2018). Effects of Water-Accommodated Fraction of Macondo Oil and Corexit on Oil Transport in Mesocosm Experiments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Yard, A., Passow, U., Chin, W. - C., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Comparison of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) with Transparent Exopolymeric Particles (TEP) in Mesocosms Contaminated with Oil. In 2018 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/17/18-04/19/18: Poster.

2017

Bacosa, H., Kamalanathan, M., Cullen, J., Schwehr, K. A., Hala, D., & Quigg, A. (2017). Marine snow aggregates are enriched in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oil contaminated waters; insights from a mesocosm study. In 2nd Annual Texas A&M Postdoctoral Research Symposium. College Station, TX : 09/20/17-09/20/17.
Kamalanathan, M., Chiu, M. - H., Bacosa, H., Schwehr, K. A., Bretherton, L., Santschi, P. H., et al. (2017). The mystery behind polysaccharide secretion by phytoplankton during an oil spill. In 2nd Annual Texas A&M Postdoctoral Research Symposium. College Station, TX : 09/20/17-09/20/17.
Kamalanathan, M., Schwehr, K., Bretherton, L., Genzer, J., Hillhouse, J., Simmons, J., et al. (2017). Rapid macromolecular characterization and prediction of phytoplankton and marine aggregate's exposed to chemically enhanced (COREXIT) water accommodated fraction (WAF) of oil using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Santschi, P. H., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Schwehr, K. A., Lin, P., Sun, L., et al. (2017). Effects of Water-Accommodated Fraction of Macondo Oil and Corexit on Sinking Marine Snow Formation and Oil Transport in Three Mesocosm Experiments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.
Schwehr, K. A., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Agueda, O., Beaver, M., Jackson, C., et al. (2017). Surface Tension and Chemical Composition of Exopolymeric Substances, EPS: Insights into Mechanisms of Aggregate Formation and Carbon Removal. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2017). Light-induced Aggregation of Bacterial Exopolymeric Substances. Gulf of Mexico. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Lin, P., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2017). Microbially-mediated exopolymeric substances production, composition and regulation of Macondo oil transport in two contrasting environments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.

2016

Agueda, O., Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2016). Relationships between surface tension and chemical composition of exopolymeric substances (EPS) in the presence of water accommodated fraction (WAF) and Corexit in two contrasting environments: open ocean versus coastal ocean. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Agueda, O., Jackson, C., Schwehr, K., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Santachi, P., et al. (2016). The Effects of Surface Tension in Relation to Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS) Adhesion to Oil. In 2016 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/19/16-04/20/16: Poster.
Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Wade, T. L., et al. (2016). Production and composition of exopolymeric substances (EPS) in the presence of water accommodated fraction (WAF) oil and Corexit in two contrasting environments: open ocean versus coastal ocean. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Wade, T. L., et al. (2016). Production and Composition of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) in the presence of Water Accomodated Fraction (WAF) Oil and Corexit in two contrasting Environments: Open Ocean versus Coastal Ocean. In 2016 Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium. Houston, TX : 10/22/16.
Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Schwehr, K., Santachi, P., & Quigg, A. (2016). Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) Composition of Marine Oil Aggregate produced in a mesocosom experiment mimicking the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. In 2016 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/19/16-04/20/16: Poster.
Kamalanathan, M., Schwehr, K., Bretherton, L., Genzer, J., Hillhouse, J., Simmons, J., et al. (2016). Prediction of marine aggregate's exposure to chemically enhanced (COREXIT)water accomodated fraction of oil uusing Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Passow, U., Sweet, J., Genzer, J., Schwehr, K., Xu, C., Zhang, S., et al. (2016). Oil, Diatom Exudation and Marine Oil Snow. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2016. Tampa, FL : 02/01/16-02/04/16: Poster.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2016). Light-induced Aggregation of Bacterial Exopolymeric Substances. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2016). Light-induced Aggregation of Bacterial Exopolymeric Substances. In Inaugural Texas A&M Postdoctoral Research Symposium. College Station, TX : 09/21/16.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Lin, P., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2016). Effects of Water-Accommodated Fraction (WAF) of Macondo Oil and Corexit on Formation of Marine Snow and Their Fate in Mesocosm Experiments. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.