Daniel Snow has been an integral part of the University of Nebraska Water Sciences Laboratory (WSL) when he was hired as Laboratory Manager in 1990. Serving as WSL director since 2003, he oversees WSL staff and operations, using analytical chemistry to help understand how water becomes contaminated and what we can do to prevent it. A good part of his work at the WSL involves creating analytical methods for new or "emerging" environmental contaminants including compounds such as new classes of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, algal toxins, steroid hormones and even explosives in environmental samples. Dr. Snow leads in the development of new methods to measure and use stable and radioactive isotopes as tracers to study environmental problems and processes.

Mass spectrometry is an incredibly powerful tool to use in studying the occurrence and environmental fate of chemicals, and to help understand their potential for affecting organisms and people. Students and staff under Dr. Snow's supervision use mass spectrometers to help other scientists and engineers find out exactly what chemicals are in water and other materials. For example, he collaborates with biologists - studying endocrine disruption in fish in Nebraska rivers - to find out what kinds and concentrations of steroid hormones and with engineers to measure new classes of pesticides and their degradation products to evaluate risks to human health and the environment. Snow regularly collaborates with NU scientists and engineers to write research proposals and to publish articles using methods developed at the Water Sciences Laboratory and conducted at research sites around Nebraska and across the globe.

Snow regularly advises and mentors undergraduate interns and graduate students working on research projects aimed at improving our understanding of changes to water quality and what we can do to prevent/remediate contamination.

School of Natural Resources Profile