We are chemical hydrogeologists and aqueous geochemists working on environmental sustainability.

Our research focuses on issues of water resources, water availability, and understanding the cycling of different metals and organic compounds in our groundwaters, surface waters, soils, and sediments, as well as how land use pattern changes affect the distribution of such metals and pollutants in our environments. Our research projects have links to health impact assessments, targeting both human and ecosystem health.

We are also interested in studies on trace element and oxyanion migration and contamination in the environment, especially in groundwaters, urban air particulates, rice grains, and unproductive soil environments, using hydrological and geochemical tools including speciation of elements via synchrotron spectroscopy. Dr. Datta and his students travel to various sites in India, Bangladesh, Argentina, Mexico, and several states within the U.S.

We have been working in delineation of areas of groundwater problems in Kansas, Texas, and neighboring states. Additionally, recent studies of mineralization in rock-brine and supercritical CO₂ mixtures in a CO₂ injection scenario within subsurface saline aquifers has gained momentum in our group.