Helbling is interested in water quality as it relates to human and ecosystem health. He is particularly interested in investigating the chemical and biological processes that influence contaminant fate and nutrient cycling in natural and engineered aquatic systems. One major research thrust has focused on biotransformation processes acting on trace organic contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides in natural and engineered biological systems. Research in this area has involved the experimental elucidation of the chemical and biological determinants of these processes by uniquely combining state-of-the-art analytical techniques from the fields of environmental analytical chemistry and environmental microbiology. Novel data mining and data processing tools are being developed to parse large dataset acquisitions and discover predictive chemical and biological descriptors of these processes. The overall goals of Helbling's broader research program are to develop: (i) mechanistic models for contaminant fate and exposure risk assessment; (ii) next-generation water treatment and resource recovery technologies; and (iii) comprehensive and sustainable management strategies for urban water systems.
