Researcher

William Smith

Research Scientist

Research Areas:
Advanced Preprocessing

Biography:

William (Bill) Smith is an environmental scientist with 15 years of service at the Idaho National Laboratory. He earned his master’s degree in environmental science and waste management from Idaho State University in 2000. His past work includes applied research and development in bioremediation and stabilization of mixed wastes, biological upgrading of industrial wastes to produce value added products, and quantification and control of microbial degradation of biomass feedstocks in storage. As task lead for INL’s Harvest, Collection, and Storage research he and his team perform field trials and laboratory experiments to measure the impacts of logistics operations on feedstock quality, operational costs, and economic and environmental sustainability. Research focuses on balancing feedstock quality and yield during harvest, and controlling moisture, dry matter losses, and feedstock conversion performance in storage. Emerging work includes the development of deployable sensors to permit active quality management early in the supply chain.

Education:

M.S., Waste Management and Environmental Science - Idaho State University

B.S., Education-Music Education - Tennessee Technological University

Publications:

Kenney, K. L., Hess, J.R., Stevens, N.A., Smith, W.A., Bonner, I.J., Muth, D.J. (2014). Biomass Logistics. Bioprocessing of Renewable Resources to Commodity Bioproducts. V. S. Bisaria and A. Kondo. Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: 29-41.

Wendt, L.M., Bonner I.J., Hoover A.N., Emerson R.M., Smith W.A. (2014). "Influence of Airflow on Laboratory Storage of High Moisture Corn Stover." Bioenergy Research: 1-11.

Bonner, I., W. Smith, J. Einerson and K. Kenney (2014). "Impact of Harvest Equipment on Ash Variability of Baled Corn Stover Biomass for Bioenergy." BioEnergy Research: 1-11. (Open Access Online)

Smith, W.A., Bonner, I.J., Kenney, K.L., and Wendt, L.M. 2013. Practical considerations of moisture in baled biomass feedstock. Biofuels, 4:95-110.

Kenney, K.L., Smith, W.A., Gresham, G.L., and Westover, T.L. 2013. Understanding biomass feedstock variability. Biofuels, 4:111-127.

Smith, W.A., Thompson, D.N., Thompson, V.S., Radtke, C.W., and Carter, B. 2009. Assessment of xylanase activity in dry storage as a potential method of reducing feedstock costs. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 154:287-301.

Mockos, G.R., Smith, W.A., Loge, F.J. and Thompson, D.N. 2008. Selective enrichment of a methanol-utilizing consortium using pulp and paper mill waste streams. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 148:211-226.

Canan, B., Olhoeft, G.R., and Smith, W.A. 2007. Experimental monitoring of Cr(VI) bio-reduction using electrochemical geophysics. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, 12:255-266.

Coats, E.R. Loge, F.J.; Smith, W.A.. Thompson, D.N. Wolcott, M.P. 2007. Functional stability of a mixed microbial consortium producing PHA from waste carbon sources. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 136-140: 909-925.

Viamajala, S., Smith, W.A., Sam, R.K., Apel, W.A., Petersen, J.N., Neal, A.L., Roberto, F.F., Newby, D.T., and Peyton, B.M. 2007. Isolation and characterization of Cr(VI) reducing Cellulomonas spp. from subsurface soils: Implications for long-term chromate reduction. Bioresource Technology, 98:612-622.

Smith, W.A., Apel, W.A., Petersen, J.P., and Peyton, B.M. 2002. Effect of carbon and energy source on bacterial chromate reduction. Bioremediation Journal, 6:205-215.

Sani, R.K., Peyton, B.M., Smith, W.A., Apel, W.A., and Petersen, J.N. 2002. Dissimilatory reduction of Cr(VI), Fe(III), and U(VI) by Cellulomonas isolates. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 60:192-199.

Apel, W.A., Petersen, J.N., Peyton, B.M, and Smith, W.A. 2002. Remediation of environmental hexavalent chromium contamination using chromate-reducing bacterial consortia. Paper #41646. In the Proceedings of the Air and Waste Management Association's 95th Annual Conference and Exhibition.

Watwood, M.E., Keener, W.K., and Smith, W.A. 2002. Characterization of microbial isolates from the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory Test Area North aquifer: Identifying potential enzymatic pathways for toluene oxidation. In Link, P.K., and Mink, L.L., eds., Geology, Hydrogeology, and Environmental Remediation: Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 353, p. 279-285.

Lee, B.D., Apel, W.A., and Smith, W.A. 2001. Oxygen effects on thermophilic microbial populations in biofilters treating nitric oxide containing off-gas streams. Environmental Progress, 20:157-166.

Smith, William A. May, 2000. Impacts of polyacrylamide treatment on the microbial ecology and nitrogen cycling in agricultural soils. M.S. thesis, Idaho State University.

Presentations:

Bonner, I.J., Wendt, L.M., Smith W.A., Kenney, K. L., 2015, A Laboratory scale reactor for simulating biomass storage for bioenergy. 2015 ASABE Annual International Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

Smith, W.A., Kenney, K.L., Ray, A., Delwiche, M. and Wirt, A. 2011, Within-bale compositional variability after storage: Impact on feedstock value for biological conversion to ethanol. 33rd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, Seattle, WA.

Apel, W.A., Smith, W.A. March, 2005, An overview of bacterial hexavalent chromium reduction. Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Annual Meeting & Exhibit, Salt Lake City, UT.

Smith, W.A., Apel, W.A., Peyton, B.M., Petersen, J.P., and Sani, R.K. July, 2002. Poster: Reduction of hexavalent chromium by Cellulomonas species isolated from subsurface sediments. American Society for Microbiology 2002 General Meeting Salt Lake City, UT.

Lee, B. D., Apel, W. A., and Smith, W. A. June, 1999. Effect of oxygen on thermophilic denitrifying population in biofilters treating nitric oxide containing off-gas streams. Proceedings of the 92nd Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the Air and Waste Management Association. Paper No. 99-322. St. Louis, MO.

Smith, W.A. and Watwood, M.E. August 1998, Poster—Impacts of polyacrylamide treatment on microbial ecology and nitrogen cycling in agricultural soils. Eighth International Symposium on Microbial Ecology Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Awards:

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Certificate of Honors, Extending existing laboratory-based compositional analyses into a commercial feedstock supply chain, June 30, 2015

Research Interests:

Biomass harvesting and storage

Biodegradation of feedstocks

Researcher // <![CDATA[ _spBodyOnLoadFunctionNames.push("setupPageDescriptionCallout"); // ]]>