Michael J. Lydy

Michael J. Lydy is a Professor in the Department of Zoology at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, specializing in environmental toxicology and risk assessment of aquatic contaminants.

He earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and teaches courses including Principles of Toxicology (Zool 333), Environmental Risk Assessment (ZOOL 411), Aquatic Toxicology (ZOOL 533), and Analytical Techniques (ZOOL 535).

His research examines chemical mixture effects, toxicity mechanisms, bioavailability/bioaccumulation dynamics, contaminated site remediation, and Best Management Practices for reducing pesticide/nutrient runoff. This work provides critical insights for water quality management and ecosystem protection in agricultural and urban settings.

Analysis of his 2009-2011 publications reveals a strong focus on pyrethroid insecticide behavior in sediments, development of advanced analytical methods (e.g., GC-MS), and toxicity identification evaluations for urban waterways. Key themes include sediment-water interactions, contaminant bioavailability, and joint toxicity effects of pesticide mixtures.

Dr. Lydy has secured research funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, industry partners, and state agencies to support his work in the Aquatic Toxicology Lab, where he mentors students in sediment toxicity testing and environmental monitoring techniques.

The Aquatic Toxicology Lab develops innovative approaches for assessing contaminant impacts, including temperature-manipulation TIEs and SPME/Tenax extraction methods for bioavailability studies, with applications in both U.S. and international (e.g., Pearl River Delta) water systems.