Richard Carbonaro

Professor, Chemical Engineering

Associate Dean, School of Engineering

Dr. Carbonaro’s affiliation with Manhattan University began as an undergraduate as he completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Manhattan. After completing his doctorate at Johns Hopkins University in 2004, he became an assistant professor of Environmental Engineering at Manhattan. Currently he is a professor of chemical engineering and the Associate Dean of the School of Engineering at Manhattan University.

His current research interests include: chemical fate and transport in natural and engineered systems, remediation of soils and sediments, in situ groundwater remediation and geochemical redox cycling of metals.  At Manhattan University, he has managed several externally-funded research projects related to chromium redox transformations, water quality monitoring of urban pollutants, modeling of metals in the environment for risk assessment, and partitioning of metals onto organic carbon.

Education

  • B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Manhattan College
  • M.E. in Environmental Engineering from Manhattan College
  • Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University

Courses Taught

  • CHML 208    Chemical Engineering Principles I
  • CHML 321     Chemical Reaction Engineering
  • CHML 342     Chemical Process Safety
  • CHML 405     Process and Plant Design I
  • CHML 406     Process and Plant Design II
  • CHMG 713    Chemical Reactor Design
  • ENVL 204      Foundations of Environmental Engineering
  • ENVL 410      Hazardous Waste Design
  • ENGS 115      Introduction to Engineering
  • ENGS 116      Introduction to Engineering Computation
  • ENGS 204      Environmental Engineering Principles I
  • ENGS 301      Professional Development I
  • ENGS 302      Professional Development II
  • ENVG 535      Surface Water Quality Laboratory
  • ENVG 508      Environmental Chemistry
  • ENVG 712      Advanced Geohydrology
  • ENVG 736      Advanced Unit Operations
  • ENVG 739      Experimental Analysis in Environmental Engineering
  • ENVL 535       Surface Water Quality Laboratory
  • CEEN 308      Reliability Analysis in Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • ENGD 301      The Company

 

  • Research
    • Specializations:
    • Fate and transport of chemicals in natural and engineered systems
    • Remediation of hexavalent chromium and arsenic
    • Numerical modeling of chemical processes
    • Geochemical redox cycling of metals
  • Publications and Scholarly Activities

    Publications in peer-reviewed journals: 

    • Cárdenas-Hernández, P.; Hickey, K.P..; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.A.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Chiu, P. “Linear Free Energy Relationship for Predicting the Rate Constants of Munition Compound Reduction by the Fe(II)-Hematite and Fe(II) Goethite Redox Couples.” Environmental Science & Technology. 2023, 57 (36), 13646-13657.
    • Hickey, K.P.; Cárdenas-Hernández, P.; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.A.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Chiu, P. “Thermodynamic Two-Site Surface Reaction Model for Predicting Munition Constituent Reduction Kinetics with Iron (Oxyhydr)oxides.” Environmental Science & Technology.  2023, 57, 33, 12411–12420
    • Murillo-Gelvez, J.; Hickey, K.P; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.E.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Chiu, P.C. “Electron Transfer Energy and Hydrogen Atom Transfer Energy-based LFERs for Predicting the Rate Constants of Munitions Constituent Reduction by Hydroquinones”. Environmental Science & Technology. 2023, 57, 13, 5284–5295
    • Platt, K.L.; Di Toro, D.M.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Bugher, N.A.; Parkerton, T.F.; Eastcott, L.J.; Imhoff, P.T. “Ferrocyanide Enhanced Evaporative Flux to Remediate Soils Contaminated With Produced Water Brine.” Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2023, 442, 130028.
    • Hickey, K.P.; Murillo-Gelvez, J.; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.E.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Chiu, P.C. “Modeling the Reduction Kinetics of Munition Compounds by Humic Acids.” Environmental Science & Technology. 2022, 56, 8, 4926-4935.
    • Murillo Gelvez, J.; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.A.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Chiu, P. “Reductive Transformation of 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) by Leonardite Humic Acid and AQDS.” Environmental Science & Technology. 2021, 55, 19, 12973–12983
    • Cárdenas-Hernández, P.; Anderson, K.; Murillo Gelvez, J.; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.A.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Chiu, P. “Reduction of 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) by the hematite aqueous Fe(II) redox couple.”Environmental Science & Technology 2020, 54, 12191-12201.
    • Hickey, K.P.; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.E., Carbonaro, R.F; Chiu, P.C. “A Unified Linear Free Energy Relationship for Abiotic Reduction Rate of Nitroaromatics and Hydroquinones using Quantum Chemically Estimated Energies.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2020, 39(12), 2389-2395.
    • Di Toro, D.M.; Hickey, K.P.; Allen, H.E., Carbonaro, R.F; Chiu, P.C. “Hydrogen Atom Transfer Reaction Free Energy as a Predictor of Abiotic Nitroaromatic Reduction Rate Constants: A Comprehensive Analysis.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2020, 39, 1678-1684.
    • Murillo-Gelvez, J; Hickey, K.P.; Di Toro, D.M.; Allen, H.E., Carbonaro, R.F; Chiu, P.C. “Experimental validation of hydrogen atom transfer gibbs free energy as a predictor of nitroaromatic reduction rate constants.” Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53(10):5816-5827..
    • Huntsman, P.; Beaudoin, R.; Rader, K.J.; Carbonaro, R. F.; Burton, G. A.; Baken, S.; Garman, E.; Waeterschoot, H. “Method Development for Determining the Removal of Metals from the Water Column under Transformation/ Dissolution Conditions for Chronic Hazard Classification.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2019, 38(9): 2032-2042.
    • Burton, G. A.; Hudson, M.; Huntsman, P.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Rader, K.J.; Waeterschoot, H.; Baken, S.; Garman, E. “Weight-Of-Evidence Approach For Assessing Removal Of Metals From The Water Column For Chronic Environmental Hazard Classification.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2019, 38(9): 1839-1849.
    • Rader, K.J.; Carbonaro, R.F; van Hullebusch, E.; Baken, S.; Delbeke, K. “The Fate of Copper Added to Surface Water: Field and Modeling Studies” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2019 38(7): 1386-1399.
    • Carbonaro, R.F.; Farley, K.J.; Delbeke, K.; Baken, S.; Arbildua, J.; Rodriguez, P.; Rader, K.J. “Modeling the Fate of Metal Concentrates in Surface Water.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2019, 38(6): 1256-1272.
    • Wilson, J.M., Farley, K.J. and Carbonaro, R.F. “Kinetics of FeII-polyaminocarboxylate oxidation by molecular oxygen.” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 2018, 225, 116-127.
    • Santos, M.A., Carbonaro, R.F.; Sharp, R.R. “Control strategies for the mitigation and removal of attached manganese biofilms.” Journal of Environmental Engineering 2018, 144 (1).
    • Whitehead, C.F.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Stone, A.T. “Adsorption of Benzoic Acid and Related Carboxylic Acids onto FeOOH(goethite): The Low Ionic Strength Regime.” Aquatic Geochemistry 2015, 21(2), 99-121.
    • Carbonaro, R.F., Stone, A.T. “Oxidation of Cr(III) Aminocarboxylate Complexes by Hydrous Manganese Oxide: Products and Time Course Behavior.” Environmental Chemistry 2015, 12(1), 33-51. 
    • Carbonaro, R.F.; Mutch, R.D.; Changa-Moon, D.C.; Gupta, P.K.; Morris, J.J.; Nambiar, A.; Cordone, L.; O’Loughlin, J.M. “In Situ CO2 Sparging Part 1: Neutralization of a Caustic Brine Plume and Reduction of Mercury Levels.” Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste 2015, 19 (1), C4014005.
    • Mutch, R.D.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Changa-Moon, D.C.; Gupta, P.K.; Morris, J.J.; Nambiar, A.; Cordone, L.; O’Loughlin, J.M. “In Situ CO2 Sparging Part 2: Groundwater Mounding and Impacts on Aquifer Properties.” Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste 2015, 9 (1), C4014006.
    • Atalay, Y.B.; Di Toro, D.M.; Carbonaro, R.F. “Estimation of Stability Constants for Metal-Ligand Complexes Containing Neutral Nitrogen Donor Atoms with Applications to Natural Organic Matter.” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 2013, 122, 464–477.     
    • Lindsay, D.R.; Farley, K.J.; Carbonaro, R.F.  “Oxidation of CrIII to CrVI During Chlorination of Drinking Water.” Journal of Environmental Monitoring 2012, 14, 1789-1797.
    • Wilson, J.M.; Carbonaro, R.F. “Capillary Electrophoresis Study of Iron(II) and Iron(III) Polyaminocarboxylate Complex Speciation.” Environmental Chemistry 2011, 8(3), 295-303.  
    • Carbonaro, R.F.; Atalay, Y.B.; Di Toro, D.M. “Linear Free Energy Relationships for Metal-Ligand complexation: Bidentate Binding to Negatively-Charged Oxygen Donor Atoms.” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 2011, 75 (9), 2499-2511.  
    • Farley, K. J.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Fanelli, C.J.; Costanzo, R.; Rader, K.J.; Di Toro, D.M. “TICKET-UWM: A Coupled Kinetic, Equilibrium and Transport Screening Model for Metals in Lakes.” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2011, 30 (6), 1278-1287. 
    • Atalay, Y.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Di Toro, D.M. “Distribution of Proton Dissociation Constants for Model Humic and Fulvic Acid Molecules.” Environmental Science & Technology 2009, 43 (10), 3626-3631.  
    • Mendola, M.; Paul, T.; Strathmann, T.J.; Carbonaro, R.F. “Investigation of the Aquation Kinetics of the 1:2 Complex between Cr(III) and Nitrilotriacetic Acid.” Polyhedron 2009, 28 (2), 269-278.  
    • Carbonaro, R.F.; Gray, B.N.; Whitehead, C.F.; Stone, A.T. "Interaction of Carboxylate-Containing Chelating Agents with Amorphous Chromium Hydroxide: Adsorption and Dissolution." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 2008, 72 (13), 3241-3257.
    • Naka, D.; Kim, D.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Strathmann, T.J. "Abiotic Reduction of Nitroaromatic Contaminants by Iron(II) Complexes with Organothiol Ligands." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2008, 27 (6), 1257-1266.
    • Carbonaro, R.F.; Di Toro, D.M. "Linear Free Energy Relationships for Metal-Ligand Complexation: Monodentate Binding to Negatively-Charged Oxygen Donor Atoms." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta  2007, 71 (16), 3958-3968
    • Rader, K.J.; Bisceglia, K.J.; Carbonaro, R.F.; Farley, K.J.; Mahony, J.D.; Di Toro, D.M.  Iron(II)-catalyzed oxidation of Arsenic(III) in a sediment column. Environmental Science & Technology 2005, 39, 9217-9222.
    • Carbonaro, R. F.; Mahony, J. D., Walter, A.D., Halper, E. B., Di Toro, D. M.  Experimental and Modeling Investigation of Metal Release from Metal-Spiked Sediments.  Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2005, 24(12), 3007-3019.
    • Carbonaro, R. F.; Stone, A. T.  Capillary Electrophoresis Analysis of Chromium(III) and Cobalt(III) (Amino)carboxylate Speciation.  Analytical Chemistry 2005, 77, 155-164.

     

  • Professional Experience and Memberships

    Academia

    Manhattan College – Riverdale, NY
    Department of Chemical Engineering

    Professor 9/2019 – present
    Associate Professor 9/2017 – 8/2019

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

    Research Associate Professor 9/2012 – 8/2017
    Associate Professor 9/2010 – 8/2012
    Assistant Professor 9/2004 – 8/2010
    Lecturer 1/2004 – 9/2004

    Consulting Engineering

    Mutch Associates, LLC – Ramsey, NJ

    Senior Engineer 1/2010 – present

    HydroQual, Inc. – Mahwah, NJ
    Hydrogeology & Remediation Group

    Senior Engineer 12/2006 – 12/2009
    Memberships
    • American Chemical Society (ACS)
    • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
  • Honors, Awards, and Grants

    HONORS:

    • ASCE 2019 Samuel Arnold Greeley Award for the paper, “Control Strategies for the Mitigation and Removal of Attached Manganese Biofilms,” in the January 2018 issue of Journal of Environmental Engineering
    • Invited Paper: Journal of Environmental Monitoring (Emerging Investigators Issue), 2012.
    • Best Paper Award, University Forum, NYWEA 84th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, 2012
    • Gordon Research Conferences, Environmental Sciences: Water. Invited Talk, 2008
    • Outstanding Teacher Award (Environmental Engineering), Manhattan College, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013
    • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship, 2000

    GRANT FUNDING:

    • NYC Department of Environmental Protection Town+Gown Croton Water Filtration Treatment Plant Study of Emerging Contaminants Removal. Carbonaro, R.F., Wilson, J.M. Collaboration with Hazen & Sawyer, Rosenfeldt, E. and Wright, B. (2020-2021). NYC DEP. $194,000.
    • Enhanced Evaporative Flux to Remediate Brine-Contaminated Soil. Imhoff, P., Carbonaro, R.F., Allen, H.A., Di Toro, D.M. (2018-2020). ExxonMobil. $50,000
    • Measuring and Predicting the Natural and Enhanced Rate and Capacity of Abiotic Reduction of Munition Constituents. Chiu, P.C., Carbonaro, R.F., Allen, H.A., Di Toro, D.M. SERDP ER-2617. (2016-2020) $1,330,000.
    • Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), “Predicting the Fate and Effects of Resuspended Metal Contaminated Sediments.” Farley, K.J., and Carbonaro, R.F. (co-PIs) (2010-2013), $281,000.
    • USEPA Targeted Watershed Implementation Grant, Saw Mill River. Subcontracted by the Saw Mill River Coalition. Carbonaro, R.F. (PI) (2008-2012), $196,000.
    • National Institute of Environmental and Health Sciences “Effect of Natural Organic Matter on Bioavailability and Mobilization of Metals. ” Farley, K.J., and Carbonaro, R.F. (co-PIs) (2009-2011), $148,000.
    • NYC DEP/Malcolm Pirnie.“ Contamination Warning System Demonstration Project: University Partnership” Carbonaro, R.F. and Sharp, R.R. (co-PIs) (2010-2011), $138,312.
    • New York City DEP, DEP-FP1 “Manganese Deposit Characterization and Treatment Study,” Carbonaro, R.F. and Sharp, R.R. (co-PIs) (2008-2010), $145,000.
    • National Institute of Environmental and Health Sciences, “Toxicity and Mobilization of Metals and Metal Mixtures in Sediments,” Farley, K.J., and Carbonaro, R.F. (co-PIs) (2006-2009), $387,644.
    • International Commission of Mining and Metals (ICMM), “Further Development of a Unit World Model for Critical Loadings of Metals in Aquatic Environments,” Farley, K.J. and Carbonaro, R.F. (2007-2008) $50,000.
    • New York State Water Resources Institute (with matching funds from Groundwork Yonkers). “Effect of urban runoff on seasonal and spatial trends in the water quality of the Saw Mill River.” Carbonaro, R.F. (2006-2007), $41,000.
    • International Commission of Mining and Metals (ICMM), “Developing a Unit World Model for Critical Loadings of Metals in Aquatic Environments,” Farley, K.J. and Carbonaro, R.F. (2004-2005) $40,000.
    • Cobalt Development Institute/HydroQual, Inc., “Cobalt Sulfide Laboratory Screening Study.” Carbonaro, R.F., and Mahony, J.D. (2004), $10,000.
    • Groundwork Yonkers, “Stormwater Monitoring of the Saw Mill River.” Carbonaro, R.F. (2004-2005), $5,400.
    • U.S. EPA, Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship, Transformations of Co(III) and Cr(III) Complexes in Heterogeneous Media, 2000. $102,000 (tuition and stipend).
  • Other
    • Professional Engineer (P.E.) State of New York
    • Certificate of Fitness to Operate a Chemical Laboratory, FDNY, November 2009