Texas Tech University

Caryl Heintz-Wyatt, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, Associate Academic Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Biological Sciences, PSM

 

Caryl Heintz

Research Interests

Research in applied and environmental microbiology. Sought to identify and quantify microorganisms isolated from various habitats. Completion of a three year field study of the bacterial flora that contaminates cotton lint while plants are growing. The purpose of this study was to determine which organisms were present, how their numbers fluctuated, and whether abiotic factors such as rainfall influenced the numbers of viable organisms isolated from the lint. This was of interest because of microbial involvement in "Organic Dust Syndromes". This project was funded by the USDA, Cotton Incorporated and The Cotton Foundation.

Group was involved in a cooperative project with faculty and students in the Department of Civil Engineering and with the Water Resources Center at Texas Tech University. The purpose of this project was to determine whether the amount and rate of diesel fuel degraded by aerobic bacteria that reside in contaminated soils can be enhanced by manipulation of the water table. This project was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Water Resources Center.

Selected Publications

  • Fischer, J. J., K. Foarde, and C. E. Heintz. 1989. Can the microbial flora of cotton lint in the field be influenced by a change in the environment? In: R. R. Jacobs and P. J. Wakelyn, (eds). Proc. 13th Cotton Dust Research Conference. Beltwide Cotton Research Conferences. pp. 24-27.
  • Rainwater, K. A., M. P. Mayfield, C. E. Heintz, and B. J. Claborn. 1989. Laboratory studies of the effects of cyclic vertical water table movement on in situ biodegradation of diesel fuel. Proc. Nat. Water Wells Assoc. (NWWA)/Amer. Petrol. Inst. (API): Petroleum hydrocarbons and organic chemicals in groundwater: prevention, detection and restoration.
  • Grice, J. M. and C. E. Heintz. 1990. Statistical analysis of fluctuations in the numbers of viable bacteria on various parts of the cotton plant throughout the growing season. In: R. R. Jacobs and P. J. Wakelyn, (eds)., Proc. 14th Cotton Dust Research Conference. Beltwide Cotton Research Conferences.
  • Heintz, C. E., J. J. Fischer, and A. D. Brashears. 1990. The effect of sheltering cotton plants from rain on the numbers of gram negative bacteria and endotoxin levels on lint and bract. In: R. R. Jacobs and P. J. Wakelyn. (eds). Proc. 14th Cotton Dust Research Conference. Beltwide Cotton Research Conferences.

Department of Biological Sciences

  • Address

    Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Box 43131 Lubbock, TX 79409
  • Phone

    806.742.2715
  • Email

    biology@ttu.edu