TERESA MISITI

Environmental & Chemical Engineer

Work

Conestoga-Rovers and Associates, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Environmental Engineer
  • Comprehensive assessment, evaluation and optimization of wastewater treatment plant processes
  • Investigating feasibility of physical and biological treatment processes for various contaminants
  • Bench-scale jar testing to investigate project-specific process and treatment requirements
  • Proposal and technical report writing specific to client needs and project specifications
May 2013 – Present
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Graduate Research Assistant
  • Investigated physical, chemical and biological treatment methods for refinery wastewater
  • Characterized refinery crude oil and wastewater samples
  • Investigated the biotransformation potential, toxicity and fate of naphthenic acids in engineered and natural aquatic systems
  • Developed pure and mixed microbial cultures and identified NA-degrading bacteria
Aug 2009 – Dec 2012
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Graduate Research Assistant
  • Investigated the feasibility of using wetlands for treatment of a nitrate-contaminated aquifer
  • Designed continuous and batch wetland systems in support of a pilot-scale wetland project
  • Investigated the effects of temperature, hydraulic retention time and carbon loading on nitrate reduction rates in wetland systems
  • Estimated biokinetic constants in Matlab based on the Monod model
May 2008 – Dec 2009
PPG Industries, Inc., East Point, GA
Process Engineer
  • Completed engineering projects to improve plant efficiencies and conditions
  • Wrote plant contingency plans and all work instructions to meet ISO 9000 Standards
  • Completed engineering projects to improve plant efficiencies and conditions
  • Managed the plant waste department and all required environmental inspections
May 2007 – May 2008

Memberships

Water Environment Federation (WEF) 2014-2017
Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) 2014-2017
New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA) 2014-2017
Association of Environmental Engineers and Scientists 2008 – 2012
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) 2005 – 2007
American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2005 – 2007

Presentations

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Misiti, T. “Fate and effect of naphthenic acids in biological systems”, Civil and Environmental Engineering PhD Defense, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, August 2012.

Misiti, T. “Biotransformation potential of naphthenic acids under aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic conditions”, Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, February 2012.

Misiti, T. “Aerobic biotransformation of naphthenic acids”, Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, April 2011.

Misiti, T. “Toxicity and biotransformation of naphthenic acids”, Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, February 2011.

Tezel, U., T. Misiti, D. Bostwick, C. Sullards and S. G. Pavlostathis. “Three-tier methodology for the quantification and characterization of naphthenic acids in aqueous solutions”, American Chemical Society 240th National Meeting, Division of Fuel Chemistry, Boston, MA, August 2010..

Misiti, T. and S. G. Pavlostathis. “Groundwater nitrate reduction in a simulated free-water surface wetland system” 2010 Industrial Conference, Georgia Association of Water Professionals, Columbus, GA, March 2010.

Misiti, T. “Nitrate reduction in a simulated overland-flow wetland system”, Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, April 2009.


POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Misiti, T., Tezel, U. and Pavlostathis, S.G. “Aerobic biotransformation of naphthenic acids”, Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, April 2011. Best Poster Award.

Tezel, U., Misiti, T.M., Bostwick, D., Sullards, C. and Pavlostathis, S. G. “Three-tier methodology for the quantification and characterization of naphthenic acids in aqueous solutions”, American Chemical Society 240th National Meeting, Division of Fuel Chemistry, Science Mix. Boston, MA, August 2010.

Misiti, T., Tezel, U. and S. G. Pavlostathis. “Biotransformation potential of naphthenic acids under different electron accepting conditions”, Annual AEES Symposium, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA April 2010. Best Poster Award.

Tezel, U., Misiti, T.M. and S. G. Pavlostathis. “Fate and effect of naphthenic acids on the biological wastewater treatment processes in oil refineries”, Georgia Institute of Technology Conoco Phillips Workshop, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, September 2009.

Misiti, T. “Nitrate reduction in a simulated overland-flow wetland system”, Annual AEES Symposium, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, April 2009.

Projects

CEMEX USA

Landfill leachate wastewater treatment system design

April 2014 - Present
Koch Nitrogen

Ultraviolet disinfection feasibility study for treatment of E. coli in an industrial wastewater stream

September 2013 - Present
Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection

Comprehensive assessment and evaluation of wastewater treatment plant processes and operations, chlorination/dechlorination system design

June 2013 - Present
ConocoPhillips

Fate and effect of naphthenic acids on the biological wastewater treatment processes in oil refineries

Dec 2008 – Dec 2010
Columbus Water Works/Jordan, Jones, Goulding, Inc.

Measurement of denitrification rates for the Columbus Water Works wetland demonstration project

May 2008 - Aug 2009


Skils

Education

Ph.D, Environmental Engineering

(Minor: Chemical Engineering)

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.

GPA: 3.8/4.0


Dec. 2012
M.S.E., Environmental Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.

GPA: 3.8/4.0


Dec. 2009
B.S.E., Chemical Engineering

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

GPA: 3.1/4.0 (Major: 3.4/4.0)

Apr. 2007

Awards

Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc. Fellow/Georgia Tech May 2008 – 2011

Supervision

I assisted the following undergraduate and graduate students and visiting research scholars in designing and performing experiments and writing research reports:

Contact

Email tmisiti at gmail dot com
Office 416 Main Street
2nd Floor
Medina, NY 14103

Publications

Theses

Misiti, T. “Fate and Effect of Naphthenic Acids in Biological Systems”, Ph. D. Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 2012.

Misiti, T. “Nitrate Reduction in an Overland Simulated Wetland System”, M.S. Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 2009.

Journal Publications

Misiti, T.M., Tezel, U., Pavlostathis, S.G. Effect of Alkyl Side Chain Location and Cyclicity on the Aerobic Biotransformation of Naphthenic Acids. Submitted to Environmental Science and Technology in March 2014.

Misiti, T.M., Tezel, U., Pavlostathis, S.G., 2013. Aerobic biotransformation potential of a commercial mixture of naphthenic acids. Water Research 47 (15) 5520 – 5534.

Misiti, T.M., Tezel, U., Pavlostathis, S.G., 2013. Fate and effect of naphthenic acids on oil refinery activated sludge wastewater treatment systems. Water Research 47 (1) 449 – 460.

Misiti, T.M., Tandukar, M., Tezel, U., Pavlostathis, S.G., 2013. Inhibition and biotransformation potential of naphthenic acids under different electron accepting conditions. Water Research 47 (1) 406 – 418.

Misiti, T.M., Hajaya, M.G., Pavlostathis, S.G., 2011. Nitrate reduction in a simulated free-water surface wetland system. Water Research 45 (17) 5587-5598.

Conference Proceedings

Tezel U., Misiti T. M., Bostwick D., Sullards C., and Pavlostathis S. G. “Three-tier methodology for quantification and characterization of naphthenic acids in aqueous solutions”, 240th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, Division of Fuel Chemistry (FUEL), Session: Heavy hydrocarbon resources: Characterization, upgrading and utilization, Boston, MA, August 22-26, 2010.

Pavlostathis S. G., Misiti T. M., Tezel U., and Tandukar M. “Fate and effect of naphthenic acids on biological wastewater treatment systems in oil refineries”, 85th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC 2012), New Orleans, LA, September 29 – October 3, 2012.