CECA -Descripción del Curso

Improve laboratory skills and understanding of key Coliform and enterococci measurements of water and drinking quality requirements by US Federal regulations.
Get acquainted with field sampling techniques.
Review Quality Assurance methods, such as calibration, standardization, and verification.

Environmental engineers, chemists, biologist, and other administrative personnel responsible for planning and conducting fecal Coliform testing. Environmental scientists, laboratory technicians, personnel related to water quality sampling and testing, and other water related professionals will be interested.

Maximum Contaminant Levels applicable to sampling requirements: specific requirements within region that can be applicable to other regions; requirements for surface, ground, and distribution systems (drinking water).
Sampling requirements following a positive Coliform/Enterococci result.
Sampling techniques, preservation, and holding times.
Laboratory result interpretation
Record keeping requirements.
Quality control/quality assurance

Language: The course will be taught in English. No translation will be provided.

Dr. Carlos Ríos Velázquez, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, PR.
.....Dr. Ríos Velázquez is an Associate professor at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez with an expertise in Bacterial Genetics and Molecular Microbiology, specifically in electron transfer proteins in purple non-sulfur anoxyphototrophs. Dr.’s Ríos Velazquez laboratory focuses in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioprospecting, including the use of combinatorial chemistry and culture independent approaches such as Phage Display and Metagenomic libraries, to unravel novel microbial groups and bioactive compounds with Biomedical and Biotechnological applications.

Dr. Luis A. Ríos, Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, PR.
.....Dr. Luis A. Ríos Hernández is an anaerobic microbiologist with experience in the environmental analysis of chemical pollutants (hydrocarbons) and the intermediates produced by anaerobic microorganisms actively degrading these contaminants. In addition, he has expertise in the area of molecular microbial ecology, anaerobic microbial metabolism, and isolation of strict anaerobic bacteria. He is currently an assistant professor in the Biology department at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

Dr. Carlos J. Santos, Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, PR.
.....Dr. Santos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at UPR-Mayaguez. He has a bachelor in Industrial Microbiology and a master degree in Biology (Aquatic Mycology), both from the UPR-Mayaguez, and a Ph.D. in Limnology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is interested on the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater microorganisms in tropical environments. He is involved in several projects to develop bio-indicators (algae and macro-invertebrates) for water quality assessments in Puerto Rico. He is also in charge of monitoring environmental connectivity, water quality, and invertebrate migration in a major stream of the island. He teaches General Biology, General Microbiology, Freshwater Biology, Limnology, Topics in Tropical Limnology, Invertebrates of Puerto Rico and Undergraduate Research.

Kristen P. Brenner, U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH
.....Dr. Brenner is an environmental microbiologist with the National Exposure Research Laboratory of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. She has a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Cincinnati and more than 25 years experience in microbial analysis of various types of water (wastewater and drinking, source, ground, ambient, and recreational water) and other environmental samples. Dr. Brenner has been a drinking water laboratory certification officer and training instructor for 15 years. Other areas of expertise are microbial method development and evaluation, viral and microbial aerosols, and quality assurance.

Day 1 – Introduction to Water Quality; Indicator organisms; Sampling techniques; Water microbiology methodology: multiple tube fermentation/Enzyme substrate; QA/QC for media, equipment, procedures.

Day 2 – Water well sample collection and testing (UPRM observation well), tab water samples collection at nearby housing development.

Day 3 – River and beach sample collection and testing. (Río Grande de Añasco at USGS’ water quality station (USGS 50146000) and public beach Tres Hermanos at Añasco);

Visit our web page at http://prwreri.uprm.edu/ceca /registration.html, complete the registration form, download the authorization payment form at the following page and send it by email at prwreri@uprm.edu, or via fax at (787)833-3985. Until we receive the payment, your course space will not be reserved. You may register by phone calling at (787)833-0300. Registration will end December 3, 2007 at 4:00pm. Registration cost is $250.00 payable to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. We only accept certified personal checks, purchase orders, or credit cards. Payment is due at registration time. Spaces are limited to the first thirty (30) paid applicantions.

Continuing Education: 32 contact hours (equivalent to 3.2 CUEs) for continuing education may be provided at an extra cost of $30.00 through the Continuing Education and Extension Division of UPRM.

There are various hotels close to UPRM. These include Mayagüez Resort and Casino (http://www.mayaguezresort.com/), Holiday Inn Tropical Casino (http://www.hidpr.com/mayaguez.htm), Rincón Beach Resort (http://www.rinconbeach.com), and others. Please, contact the hotel for room rates. This information is provided for your convenience and does not represent an endorsement by the course sponsors.

Coffee breaks in the morning and afternoon will be provided at the class room. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on your own. A list of restaurants and cafeterias will be provided during the course.

Transportation:

Fly to San Juan, Aguadilla, or Mayagüez. If arriving at San Juan, you can rent a car and drive to Mayagüez (2.5 hour trip) or rent a Taxi to Mayagüez (approx. $150). Travel time from Aguadilla is about 30 minutes. Transportation will be provided to the sampling sites. All participants are required to use this transportation during the course days.