Robin Brandt, P.E., Ph.D.

Areas of Interests

Land-based treatment/recycling systems, with emphasis on:

• Land application of municipal wastewater biosolids, livestock manures, and food processing residuals
• Nutrient management, with focus on water soluble phosphorus and P-Index prescribed land application
• Agricultural odor detection/quantification via olfactometry

Teaching

• ERM 300 - Basic principles and calculations in environmental analysis
• ASM 217 - Landscape soil and water management
• ASM 307 - Golf course irrigation and drainage
• ASM 327 - Soil and water resource management

Research

• Estimating source coefficients for phosphorus site indices
• Sensitivity analysis of the Pennsylvania phosphorus index for agricultural recycling of municipal biosolids
• Water-extractable phosphorus in biosolids: Implications for land-based recycling
• Land application of biosolids under phosphorus-based nutrient management
• Biosolids disposal in Pennsylvania: cost comparisons and policy considerations
• Measuring environmentally relevant phosphorus in agricultural by-products
• Odor emission evaluations of dairy nutrient management strategies
• Controlling odor and nutrient losses to surface runoff, groundwater and air with new and conventional manure injection technologies on no-till soils
• Field olfactometry for quantifying and targeting agricultural odor control

Publications

Peer-Reviewed

• Elliott, H.A., R.C. Brandt, P.J.A. Kleinman, A.N. Sharpley, and D.B. Beegle. Pending. Estimating source coefficients for phosphorus site indices. J. Environ. Qual. (publication pending)
• Brandt, R.C. and H.A. Elliott. 2005. Sensitivity analysis of the Pennsylvania phosphorus index for agricultural recycling of municipal biosolids. J. Soil Water Cons. 60:209-219.
• Elliott, H.A., R.C. Brandt, and G.A. O'Connor. 2005. Runoff phosphorus losses from surface-applied biosolids. J. Environ. Qual. 34:1632-1639.
• Elliott, H.A. J. Womer, J.H. Kang, R.C. Brandt, and G.A. O'Connor. 2005. Neutral ammonium citrate extraction of biosolids phosphorus. Comm. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 36: 2447-2459.
• Brandt, R.C., H.A. Elliott, G.A. O'Connor. 2004. Water-extractable phosphorus in biosolids: Implications for land-based recycling. Water Environ. Research. 67: 121-129.

Other Selected Publications and Presentations

• Brandt, R.C. (presenter). 2006. Odor evaluation using the Nasal Ranger^® field olfactometer. Presented at: Odor and Regulated Air Emissions in Pennsylvania Agriculture – 2nd annual conference. June 1, 2006. Carlisle, PA.
• Brandt, R.C. (presenter). 2005. Odor detection and measurement. Presented at: Odor and Regulated Air Emissions in Pennsylvania Agriculture. June 9-10, 2005. Carlisle, PA.
• Brandt, R.C. (presenter). 2005. Odor management in agriculture and food processing. Presented at: Odor and Regulated Air Emissions in Pennsylvania Agriculture. June 9-10, 2005. Carlisle, PA.
• Brandt, R.C., H.A. Elliott, T.M. McGowan, B.A. Jacobson, B.D. Erp, and J.M. Womer. 2004 (revised printing). Odor management in agriculture and food processing – A manual of practice for Pennsylvania. Editors: R.C. Brandt and H.A. Elliott. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
• Brandt, R.C. (presenter), J.A. Logan (presenter), and H.A. Elliott. 2004. Biosolids and the phosphorus index: an update on current developments. Pennsylvania Water Environment Association PennTec 2004. State College, PA. June 28-30, 2004.
• Brandt, R.C. 2003. Land application of biosolids under phosphorus-based nutrient management. Ph.D. Dissertation. The Pennsylvania State University. 215 p.
• Brandt, R.C. (presenter) and H.A. Elliott. 2003. Phosphorus runoff losses from surface-applied biosolids and dairy manure. Proceedings Joint Residuals and Biosolids Mgmt Conf. Water Environ. Federation. February 19-22, Baltimore, MD
• Brandt, R.C. and H.A. Elliott. 2003. Phosphorus runoff losses from surface-applied biosolids and dairy manure. Water and Environment Technology. December 2003.
Brandt, R.C., and H.A. Elliott. 2002. Odor management in agriculture and food processing – A manual of practice for Pennsylvania. 173 pp. Cooperative project between PSU and the PA Dept. of Agriculture.
• Brandt, R.C., and H.A. Elliott. 2002. Odor management in agriculture and food processing — A manual of practice for Pennsylvania. Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Cooperative Extension fact sheet G60. University Park, PA.
• Brandt, R.C. (presenter), and H.A. Elliott. 2002. Comparative evaluation of water extractable phosphorus in biosolids and manures. In: Proceedings of WEF 2002 Specialty Conference - 16th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference. March 3-6, 2002. Austin, TX.
• Womer, J., H.A. Elliott, and R.C. Brandt. 2002. Determining phosphorus in biosolids using a neutral ammonium citrate extraction. In: Proceedings of WEF 2002 Specialty Conference - 16th Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference. March 3-6, 2002. Austin, TX.
• Brandt, R.C. 2001. Biosolids nutrient management/calculating agronomic rate of application. Chapter in, National manual of good practice for biosolids. Joint project sponsored by Sear-Brown Inc., National Biosolids Partnership, and Water Environment research Foundation. Alexandria, VA.
• Brandt, R.C. 2001. Biosolids recycling and soil conservation. Appendix in, National manual of good practice for biosolids. Joint project sponsored by Sear-Brown Inc., National Biosolids Partnership, and Water Environment research Foundation. Alexandria, VA.
• Brandt, R.C. 1999. Biosolids nutrient management. Chapter in, Biosolids Recycling in Pennsylvania - A Reference Manual. Ed. W.E. Toffee, S. Hogan, R.C. Brandt, and K.S. Martin. Pennsylvania Water Environment Association. Harrisburg, PA.
• Brandt, R.C. 1999. Soil conservation. Chapter in, Biosolids Recycling in Pennsylvania - A Reference Manual. Ed. W.E. Toffee, S. Hogan, R.C. Brandt, and K.S. Martin. Pennsylvania Water Environment Association. Harrisburg, PA.