Brian Spies Email & Phone Number

I am currently working and learning at an ethanol bio-refinery where I am a laboratory technician. In my role I use several types of instrumentation to insure proper functioning of our refinery process and verify the quality of our products using ASTM and USP methods. I frequently use GC, HPLC, Uv-Vis, FTIR, viscometers, densitometers, ELISA testing, and other wet chemistry techniques to accomplish these goals. In addition to analytical work on the instruments I am responsible for much of the maintenance, calibration, and record keeping for each instrument. My responsibilities include monitoring all chemical additions from the front of the refinery process to the end including the calibration of some in-line instrumentation. I also monitor supplemental processes.Working for a smaller company I have developed the ability to wear many hats. In addition to my daily responsibilities, I share in the responsibility of ordering materials for the lab, waste disposal of hazardous materials, and drafting environmental reporting for governmental compliance including responsibilities as an certified Industrial Storm Water Operator. Before my current position I had two years of wonderful experience working in an analytical laboratory on issues related to cyanobacterial toxins. Laboratory work I had been doing focused on the detection and elimination of microcystins in recreation and drinking water. In over 50 experiments I have helped characterize the kinetics between the toxin and potassium permanganate that will be useful for the proper treatment of drinking water against microcystins. Through my experiences I have used analytical equipment like a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and a spectrophotometer for quantification of microcystins and their degradation products. I have used gas chromatography (GC), ion chromatography (IC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and a Karl Fischer titrator for analytic data of a complex, industrial, fermentation process. I also have multiple years of experience with bench-top chemistry which most recently I have applied to keeping several process chemicals in systematic equilibrium.I have also been apart of two year study funded by the MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Qualiy) looking at the recreational waters of over 30 of Michigan's inland lakes. The study sought to provide information regarding the threat of cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). I have had an excellent mixture of chemical, industrial, and environmental experiences over the past few years that I am building on every day.