RESEARCH INTERESTS
Design and control of complex, multi-phase reactors involves understanding of the reaction kinetics, thermodynamics and transport phenomena of the fundamental processes taking place in the system. The behaviour of a combination of well characterized, single step processes that are inter-related cannot be intuitively extrapolated , necessarily, from knowledge of the individual steps. Therefore, mathematical models of such complex processes are very useful for elucidating their expected behaviour under a wide variety of conditions. These models can yield unanticipated, non-intuitive results that, often, are realized as improvements to the process. However, the understanding of complex reaction processes, intuitively or mathematically derived, is still founded on accurate and thorough experimental data.
Natural processes, in particular, lend themselves to intractability. Dr. Baldwin's research has focused on the seemingly impossible task of understanding and possibly controlling a diverse number of processes from blood coagulation to mineral dissolution and precipitation. Despite being vastly different systems, structural similarities in reaction networks result in repeatable patterns of behaviour.
In blood coagulation, modelling the effect of cell surface coverage of enzyme-cofactor complexes in thrombin formation have revealed interesting results. Surprising results include the suggestion that some procoagulants act as progoagulants only at low concentrations and their role shifts to inhibition as they accumulate.
In the mineral processing field, two areas are being studied: oxidative leaching of minerals under high temperatures and pressures, and bacterially mediated precipitation of heavy and toxic metals from aqueous streams. In the first case, steady state and dynamic models are being used to study pressure oxidation autoclaves. These are used to extract metal values, such as copper, zinc and gold, from ores and concentrates. In the second area, in a reverse process, metals are being removed from contaminated aqueous streams using anaerobic bacteria. These provide the reducing conditions and also act as nucleation sites for mineral precipitation. Acid rock drainage and Cr-As- areas. Cu contaminated water from wood-treatment sites are being treated using sulphate reducing bacteria to facilitate metal precipitation. Novel reactor designs are being investigated to enhance kinetics of precipitation and separation of the metals from each other.
Other areas being embarked upon include cultivation of marine organisms such as sponges so as to obtain secondary metabolites useful as pharmaceuticals, and food processing.
OTHER AFFILIATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS
- American Chemical Society
- American Society for Microbiology
- Society for Industrial Microbiology
- British Columbia Water Association
PUBLICATIONS (2001 - 2006)
- Pawlowicz, R., Baldwin, SA, Muttray, A, Schmidtova, J, Laval, B and Lamont, G. “Seasonal cycle, deep and intermediate rebewal, and interfacial chemical and microbial regimes in an anoxic fjord (Nitinat Lake)”, accepted for publication in Limnology and Oceanography August 2006.
- Annette F. Muttray, Rachel L. Cox, Carol L. Reinisch, Susan A. Baldwin, “Identification of DeltaN isoform and polyadenylation site choice variants in molluskan p63/p73-like homologues” accepted for publication in Marine Biotechnolgy August 2006.
- Doig, P , van Poppelen, P and Baldwin, S.A., “Characterization of Particles in Fresh and Primary-Treated Log Sort Yard Runoff”, Water Qual. Res. J. Canada Vol. 41(1), 2006.
- Buryniuk, M, Petrell, RJ, Baldwin, SA, Lo, KV, “Accumulation and natural disintegration of solid wastes caught on a screen suspended below a fish farm cage” Aquacultural Engineering, Vol 35/1 pp 78-90, 2006.
- Muttray, AF, Cox, RL, St-Jean, S, van Poppelen, P, Reinisch, CL and Baldwin, SA, “Identification and phylogenetic comparison of a p53 in two distinct mussel species used in environmental effects monitoring”, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part B., Vol 140/2 pp 237-250, 2005.
- Pritchett, J and S.A. Baldwin, “The effect of nitrogen source on yield and glycosylation of a human cystatin C mutant expressed in Pichia pastoris”, J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol, 31: 553-558, 2004.
- Daniel M. Reinders, Susan A. Baldwin and Joel L. Bert, “Endometrial Thermal Balloon Ablation using a High Temperature, Pulsed System: A Mathematical Model”, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 125(6): 841-851, 2003.
- Christine Lussier , Marcello Veiga , Susan Baldwin, “The geochemistry of selenium associated with coal waste in the Elk River Valley, Canada”, Environmental Geology, 44(8): 905-913, 2003.
- Susan A. Baldwin and Al Henry Hodaly, “Selenium uptake by a Coal Mine Wetland Sediment.”, Canadian Journal for Water Quality, 38(3): , 483-497, 2003.
- Meech, John A. Scoble, Malcolm; Wilson, Ward; Pakalnis, Rimas; Klein, Bern; Veiga, Marcello; Hall, Robert; Ghomshei, Mory; Baldwin, Susan; Lavkulich, Leslie; Suttle, Curtis; Mortensen, James; Weis, Dominique; Smith, Leslie; Hall, Kenneth; Dixon, David; Tromans, Desmond; Dreisinger, David; Dunbar, Scott; Pawlik, Marek; Morin, Mario; Cullen, William; Teschke, Kay; Gibson, Ginger; Ulansky, Ryan; Hinton, Jennifer; Wickland, Benjamin; Bissiri, Yassiah; Lang, Brennan “CERM3 and its contribution to providing sustainable research for the mining industry” CIM Bulletin, v 96, n 1067, p 72-81, 2003
- Baldwin, S.A., A. Pelman and J.L. Bert, “A heat transfer model of thermal balloon endometrial ablation”, Ann of Biomed Eng, 29(11):1009-1018, 2001.
TEACHING
CHBE 381 - Bioprocess Engineering
CHBE 453 Biological Engineering Process Design
