P. Lee Ferguson

Dr. P. Lee Ferguson is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Chemistry at Duke University in Durham, NC. After completing B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Marine Science at the University of South Carolina, he earned a Ph.D. at Stony Brook University in 2002 in Coastal Oceanography.

Research in the Ferguson laboratory is focused on Environmental Analytical Chemistry. Specifically, a major thrust of research in the lab involves the application of high resolution, accurate mass (HRAM) mass spectrometry coupled with multidimensional chromatographic separations, bioaffinity isolation techniques, and online sample preparation methods to detect, identify, and quantify emerging contaminants (including endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals, and surfactants) in wastewater and drinking water.

The analytical methods developed in the Ferguson laboratory laboratory are applied to both process-oriented environmental chemistry experiments in the field and laboratory as well as to toxicity bioassays (including whole-organism assays and molecular endpoints). The overarching goal is to gain an increased understanding of how emerging contaminants are transported, transformed and induce deleterious effects within aquatic ecosystems.

Contact Information: lee.ferguson@duke.edu; 919-660-5454