Ernest R. Blatchley III
Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, F.ASCE
Lee A. Rieth Professor in Environmental Engineering

Lyles School of Civil & Construction Engineering
School of Sustainability Engineering & Environmental Engineering
Purdue University
550 Stadium Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1284
Phone: (765) 494-0316 | Email: blatch@purdue.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Blatchley Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

Education

Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Civil (Environmental) Engineering 1988
M.S. University of California, Berkeley, Civil (Environmental) Engineering 1983
B.S. Purdue University, Civil (Environmental) Engineering 1981

Licenses, Registrations, and Certifications

Professional Engineer, State of Indiana, Registration No. PE60900120

Board Certified Environmental Engineer, American Academy of Environmental Engineers, Certificate No. 06-E0001

Specialty Group

Environmental Engineering

Overview

Professor Blatchley teaches and conducts research in the area of physico/chemical processes of Environmental Engineering.
Specific foci within this area include:

  • Theory, methods, and applications of ultraviolet (UV) radiation - The Blatchley group is active in development of fundamental photochemical reactor theory, development of numerical and diagnostic methods, and optimization of applications of UV radiation for treatment of water, air, and surfaces. Applications include those that rely on direct photolysis as well as processes in which a photochemical event initiates a process, often via reactive intermediates.
  • Disinfection byproduct (DBP) dynamics - The reactions that are responsible for formation and decay of DBPs are explored, including investigations of mechanisms and kinetics of the underlying reactions, development of analytical methods, and descriptions of the dynamics of interphase transfer, which is especially relevant for volatile DBPs.
  • Water and air quality in indoor swimming pools – Exposure to microbial and viral pathogens in swimming pools represents a common form of disease transmission among swimmers. Disinfection processes are applied to mitigate these risks, but are responsible for formation of DBPs that can present chemical hazards to swimmers and other pool patrons. Volatile DBPs have the ability to escape from water to the overlying gas phase, which results in degradation of indoor air quality in these venues. The Blatchley group is active in research to address the mechanisms and kinetics of the reactions that lead to volatile DBP formation in pools, as well as the dynamics of their transfer to the gas phase and consequent effects on indoor air quality.
  • Water supply in developing countries: More than 1 billion people lack access to safe, affordable water, yet relevant technical solutions exist to alleviate or eliminate this problem. The Blatchley group is exploring technologies as well as non-technical approaches that offer promise in this area.
  • Germicidal Ultraviolet (GUV) Systems: The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness of the potential for airborne (and surface-associated) pathogens to cause disease outbreaks among human and other animal populations. Among engineering interventions that can be used to reduce the risk of airborne (and surface-associated) disease transmission, GUV systems have been demonstrated to be simultaneously the most effective and the least expensive. However, implementation of GUV-based technologies is hampered by the lack of fundamental kinetic information and a lack of design standards. The Blatchley group is among those that are addressing this need.

Inventions and Patents

Apparatus for Improving UV Dosage Applied to Fluids in Open Channel UV Disinfection Systems, Ernest R. Blatchley III, Kuang-Ping Chiu, E. Ronald Magee, James M. Kallio, Zdravka Do-Quang, Dennis A. Lyn, U.S. Patent Number 5,952,663; issued 14 September 1999.

Dyed Microspheres for Characterization of Photochemical Reactor Behavior, Ernest R. Blatchley III, Chengyue Shen, Zorana Naunovic, Lian-Shin Lin, Dennis A. Lyn, Donald E. Bergstrom, Shiyue Fang, Yousheng Guan, J. Paul Robinson, Kathryn E. Ragheb, Gerald J. Gregori, U.S. Patent Number 7,842,512; issued 30 November 2010.

Continuous-Flow Solar Ultraviolet Disinfection System for Water, Ernest R. Blatchley III; Eric Gentil Mbonimpa; Bryan Vadheim, U.S. Patent Number 9,546,100 issued 17 January 2017.

Chlorination/UV Process for Decomposition and Detoxification of Microcystin-LR, Ernest R. Blatchley III; Jing Li; Xinran Zhang; Jer-Yen Yang, U.S. Patent Number 10,662,100 issued 26 May 2020.

Methods and Systems for Separation of Chloramines in Aqueous Solutions, Ernest R. Blatchley III, U.S. Patent Number 11,084,738 issued 10 August 2021.

Hydrophobic Surface Coating for Virus Inactivation and Methods Therefor, Tanya Purwar, Victor-Manuel Castano-Meneses, Xing Li, Ernest R. Blatchley III, Luciano Castillo, Ali Doostalab, Patent Application Number 17/586,319, Filed 27 January 2022.

Publications

Book

Blatchley III, E.R. (2021) Photochemical Reactors: Theory, Methods, and Applications of Ultraviolet Radiation, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ, Print ISBN: 9781119871309, Online ISBN: 9781119871606,|DOI:10.1002/9781119871606.

Book Chapters

  1. Blatchley III, E.R. and Scheible, O.K. (1996) "Ultraviolet Disinfection," Chapter 7 in Wastewater Disinfection: Manual of Practice FD-10, Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA, pp. 227-291.
  2. Blatchley III, E.R. and Thompson, J.E. (1998) “Groundwater Contaminants,” Chapter 13 in Groundwater Engineering Handbook, (J.W. Delleur, ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 13-1 to 13-30.
  3. Blatchley III, E.R. and Peel, M. (2001) “Disinfection by Ultraviolet Irradiation” Chapter 41 in Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation, 5th Edition, S. Block (ed.), Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp. 823-851.
  4. Blatchley III, E.R. (2001) “Process Behavior in Ultraviolet Disinfection Systems” Chapter 2.1.3 in Environmental Engineering Processes Laboratory Manual, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors Professors (S.E. Powers, J.J. Bisogni, Jr., J.G. Burken, K. Pagilla, eds.).
  5. Blatchley III, E.R. (2001) “Non-Ideal Reactor Behavior” Chapter 1.2.3 in Environmental Engineering Processes Laboratory Manual, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (S.E. Powers, J.J. Bisogni, Jr., J.G. Burken, K. Pagilla, eds.).
  6. Blatchley III, E.R. and Hunt, N.K. (2002) “Ozone Disinfection of Drinking Water,” Chapter 15 in Control of Microbes in Water, ASCE, Reston, VA.
  7. Blatchley III, E.R. and Thompson, J.E. (2006) “Groundwater Contaminants,” Chapter 17 in Groundwater Engineering Handbook, 2nd Edition (J.W. Delleur, ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 17-1 to 17-30.
  8. Grady, C., S.C. Weng, and E.R. Blatchley III. 2014. Global potable water: current status, critical problems and future perspectives. In Potable Water: Emerging Global Problems and Solutions. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry. Springer Publishing. 37-60.
  9. Blatchley III, E.R.; Scheible, O.K.; Shen, C. (2014) Innovations and Advances in UV Reactor Analysis and Validation, Chapter 8 in UV Disinfection for Wastewater, Water Environment Federation and International Ultraviolet Association.
  10. Blatchley III, E.R. and Thompson, J.E. (2016) “Groundwater Contaminants,” Chapter 5 in Groundwater Engineering Handbook, 3rd Edition (J.H. Cushman and D.M. Tartakavsky, eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 127-148.
  11. Blatchley III, E.R. (2019) “Disinfection and Antimicrobial Processes,” in Encyclopedia of Water, Patricia A. Maurice (Ed.), Wiley, New York.
  12. Blatchley III, E.R. (2020) “Wastewater Disinfection,” Chapter 8 in Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Modelling and Design (2nd Edition), Guanghao Chen, Mark C.M. Van Loosdrecht, George G.A. Ekama, and Damir Brdjanovic (Eds.) IWA Publishing, London.
  13. Blatchley III, E.R. and Coohill, T.P. (2021) “Ultraviolet Disinfection,” Chapter 9 in Block’s Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation, 6th Edition, Gerald McDonnell and Joyce Hansen (Eds.), Wolters Kluwer Health, Philadelphia.
  14. Blatchley III, E.R. (2023) “Wastewater Disinfection,” Problems and Solutions Manual for Chapter 8 in Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Modelling and Design (2nd Edition), Guanghao Chen, Mark C.M. Van Loosdrecht, George G.A. Ekama, and Damir Brdjanovic (Eds.) IWA Publishing, London.
  15. Blatchley III, E.R. (2023) “Wastewater Disinfection,” Online class included as part of a series developed from the book Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Modelling and Design (2nd Edition), Guanghao Chen, Mark C.M. Van Loosdrecht, George G.A. Ekama, and Damir Brdjanovic (Eds.) IWA Publishing, London; available as a graduate-level online class through IHE Delft and IWA.

Articles in Refereed Archival Journals

Complete List

Research Interests

The Blatchley group is active in research related to five general theme areas:

  • Photochemical Reactors – Photochemical reactions are often initiated by application of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV-based devices have been demonstrated to be effective in a broad range of applications, including disinfection of water, air, and surfaces; direct photochemical reactions; as well as so-called “indirect processes,” such as UV-advanced oxidation processes (UV-AOPs) and UV-advanced reduction processes (UV-ARPs). The Blatchley group has been active in advancing fundamental photochemical reactor theory, in development of numerical and diagnostic methods for characterization of photochemical reactor behavior, and for optimization of UV-based treatment processes.
  • Disinfection Byproduct (DBP) Dynamics – Disinfection processes are applied in a wide range of settings for control of microbial and viral pathogens. These processes can be effective for control of pathogens, but are often accompanied by reactions that lead to formation or decay of DBPs. Many DBPs express adverse human health and/or environmental effects; therefore, disinfection process applications generally involve a balance between the benefits of pathogen control and the drawbacks of DBP formation. The Blatchley group has been active in research related to the fundamental mechanisms and kinetics of DBP formation and decay, as well as development of analytical methods for measurement and characterization of DBPs. Among specific applications, the Blatchley group has led research related to DBP dynamics in chlorinated swimming pools, where opportunities for human exposure tend to be much greater than in other settings. In addition, the chemistry that defines DBP dynamics in swimming pools is generally intermediate to that of drinking water and municipal wastewater. As such, the findings of research related to DBP dynamics in pools translates well to these other, more common applications.
  • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Indoor Pool Facilities – Swimming is second only to walking as the most common form of exercise in the U.S. In indoor pool facilities, the formation of volatile DBPs, with subsequent transfer to the air space above the pool, has been associated with adverse respiratory outcomes among swimmers, pool employees, and other pool patrons. The Blatchley group has examined the chemistry and physics that govern IAQ dynamics in indoor swimming pool facilities. The information from this research is being used to inform the design of pools to allow improved IAQ in these settings.
  • Water Supply in Developing Countries – More than a billion people on earth lack access to safe, affordable water. Engineering solutions are available to address these shortcomings, but non-technical issues often prevent their implementation. The Blatchley group is collaborating with scholars from the social sciences and health sciences to address and overcome the barriers to access to safe, affordable water in developing countries.
  • Germicidal Ultraviolet (GUV) Disinfection Systems for Indoor Air – Most humans spend most of their lives in indoor settings. Interestingly, indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air quality, with respect to some pollutant categories. Among these are airborne pathogens, which are responsible for transmission of many common human illnesses. Similarly, airborne pathogens represent a likely mode of disease transmission for many forms of livestock. GUV systems represent the most effective, yet least expensive method to control exposure to airborne pathogens. Research in the Blatchley group and with collaborators is addressing some fundamental aspects of the behaviors of these systems. The Blatchley group is also active in development of design standards for GUV systems.

Teaching

Current teaching activities by Professor Blatchley include the following classes:

  • CCE/SEE 350: Introduction to Environmental & Ecological Engineering - Basic principles of environmental engineering are presented, including fundamental tools used to examine environmental systems and solve environmental problems (e.g., material balances, environmental chemistry, elemental cycles). Common environmental applications are presented, including treatment of municipal wastewater, potable water production, air pollution, global air pollution problems (i.e., stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change) and management of solid and hazardous wastes. We also examine approaches that have promise for allowing sustainable, long-term use of available resources, as well as contemporary and emerging environmental issues.
  • CCE/SEE 550: Physico/Chemical Processes of Environmental Engineering - Students in this class learn fundamental principles of physico/chemical processes that are commonly used by Environmental Engineers. Examples are presented from many applications, but the emphasis is on water treatment. The principles that are taught in this class have broad application in Environmental Engineering, and in other disciplines. As such, the focus is on fundamental concepts, so as to prompt their application in a wide range of settings, encourage questions and discussion, and to promote creativity. This class is taught online as part of the Affordable MS Program within the Lyles School of Civil & Construction Engineering.
  • CCE 597 (co-listed as BIOL 595, SEE 595, NUR 599): Water Supply in Developing Countries – This is a student-led, interdisciplinary, service-learning class in which students work with faculty and community members to design, build, and implement community-scale water treatment systems for impoverished communities in the Dominican Republic. Students work with community leaders from the target communities in the DR to develop system designs to address community needs for water. The class is conducted in a holistic manner, such that issues related to public health education, business development, and community engagement are addressed.
  • CCE 650: Photochemical Reactors: Theory, Methods, and Applications of Ultraviolet Radiation – This class is derived from the book by Professor Blatchley with the same title. The course provides comprehensive coverage of topics that define and govern the behavior of photochemical reactors, including fundamental principles of photochemistry and photochemical reactors, sources of UV radiation, numerical and empirical methods for characterization of photochemical reactor dynamics, and summaries of common applications. This class is also available through the online MS Program within the Lyles School of Civil & Construction Engineering.

Service & Committees

Complete List

Awards, Recognition, and Honors

  • EPA Training Fellowship, University of California, Berkeley, 1982 – 1983
  • Chi Epsilon, 1994 – present
  • Harold Munson Outstanding Teacher Award, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 1997
  • Roy E. and Myrna G. Wansik Research Leadership Award, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 1998
  • William Edgar Award for Pioneering Research in Disinfection, Water Environment Federation, 2005
  • Diplomate Environmental Engineer (DEE) (aka, Board Certified Environmental Engineer, BCEE), American Academy of Environmental Engineers, by Eminence in the Specialty of Water Supply and Wastewater, 2006-
  • Sigma Xi, 2007 – present
  • Aquatics International 2008 “Power 25” - Annual list of the 25 most influential aquatics professionals (see https://www.aquaticsintl.com/facilities/the-power-25_o)
  • Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2014 – present
  • Engagement and Service Award, Purdue University, College of Engineering, 2016. Awarded for leadership in development of interdisciplinary service-learning class entitled “Water Supply in Developing Countries.” The class designs, builds, and implements holistic, community-scale water treatment systems for impoverished communities in developing countries.
  • Corps of Engagement Award (with Alex Delworth, Rachel Gehr, Rebecca Johnson, Allison Koeppen, Vicki Simpson), Purdue University Office of Engagement, 2020.
  • SEEE Instructional Excellence Award, Division of Environmental & Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, 2021.
  • Book of Great Teachers, Purdue University, 2023.
  • Most Impactful Journal Article Award, International Ultraviolet Association, 2025.
  • Roy E. and Myrna G. Wansik Teaching Award, Lyles School of Civil & Construction Engineering, Purdue University, 2025.