PNNL

Danielle Saunders joined PNNL in 2003 after earning a BS from Washington State University in Animal Science. Her current work focuses on using molecular, microbiological and geophysical techniques to understand the fate and transport of radioactive contamination in the subsurface at the Hanford Site. This information is used to aid in the development remediation strategies. Additionally, she manages several lab spaces and a library of sediments from the Hanford site. Her initial work at PNNL focused on the impact of land use on endangered species. She has worked to develop novel exposures and sample collection techniques for mammalian, plant, aquatic, and sediment exposure scenarios.

• Using biomarkers as an indication of species or environmental fitness
• Subsurface science and remediation
• Biogeochemical transformation of radionuclides (Uranium, Technetium-99, Iodine-129)

• B.S., Animal Science, Washington State University, 2000

• 2015 – EED Cognizant Space Manager of the Year

2024

• Peterson K.A., B.E. Bernacki, D.L. Saunders, J.D. Erickson, S. Lockwood, T.J. Johnson, and T.L. Myers. 2024. "Deriving the Infrared Complex Refractive Indices of Organic Powders for Optical Modeling: Comparison of Methods." In SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing: Algorithms, Technologies, and Applications for Multispectral and Hyperspectral Imaging XXX, April 21-26, 2024, National Harbor, MD. Proceedings of the SPIE, edited by M. Velez-Reyes and D.W. Messinger, 13031, Paper No. 130310E. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE (International Society for Optical Engineering). PNNL-SA-197392. doi:10.1117/12.3013843

2023

• Graham T.R., B.N. Gartman, A. Bautista, L. Irwin, E.J. Shelby, D.L. Saunders, and T.J. Johnson, et al. 2023. "Spectroscopic features of dissolved iodine in pristine and gamma-irradiated nitric acid solutions." Journal of Molecular Liquids 387. PNNL-SA-178034. doi:10.1016/j.molliq.2023.122631
• Robinson C.J., R.L. Smith, M.H. Howard, D.L. Saunders, and B. Lee. 2023. "Draft Genome Sequence of Enterobacter hormaechei DVZ29, an iodide-oxidizing bacterium isolated from the Hanford Site." Microbiology Resource Announcements 12, no. 11:Art. No. e00525-23. PNNL-SA-186521. doi:10.1128/MRA.00525-23

2022

• Bradley A.M., A.M. Melville, K. Mo, D.L. Saunders, J.M. Mobberley, A. Heredia-Langner, and R.M. Ozanich. 2022. "Keeping Pace with Field Detection Challenges for Synthetic Opioids." In Optics InfoBase Conference Papers: Applied Industrial Spectroscopy (AIS 2022), July 11-15, 2022, Vancouver, Canada, Art. No. ATu5G.1. Washington, District Of Columbia:Optica Publishing Group. PNNL-SA-172861.
• Saunders D.L., S.C. Smith, K.L. Jensen, R.G. Tonkyn, J.S. Loring, A.M. Bradley, and C.A. Banach, et al. 2022. "Spectral Data and Databases for Optical Sensing of Mining, Materials and Mineral Characterization including in situ and Standoff Sensing." In Optics InfoBase Conference Papers: Applied Industrial Spectroscopy (AIS 2022), July 11-15, 2022, Vancouver, Canada, Art. No. ATu5G.3. Washington, District Of Columbia:Optica Publishing Group. PNNL-SA-174420.
• Yokosuk M.O., K.L. Jensen, J.D. Erickson, D.L. Saunders, M.E. Bowden, T.J. Johnson, and T.L. Myers. 2022. "Using spectroscopic ellipsometry and single-angle reflectance to derive accurate optical constants for chemical forms of aspartame." In Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXIII, April 3-13, 2022, Orlando, FL. Proceedings of the SPIE, edited by J.A. Guicheteau and C.R. Howle, 12116, Paper No. 1211608. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE. PNNL-SA-170935. doi:10.1117/12.2619853

2021

• Myers T.L., B.M. De Vetter, D.L. Saunders, C.E. Lonergan, M.O. Yokosuk, B.E. Bernacki, and A. Bautista, et al. 2021. "Measuring accurate optical constants of uranium minerals for use in optical modeling of infrared spectra." In Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXII, April 12-16, 2021, Virtual, Online. Proceedings of the SPIE., 11749, Paper No. 117490T. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE. PNNL-SA-160759. doi:10.1117/12.2588321
• Myers T.L., D.L. Saunders, J.E. Szecsody, R.G. Tonkyn, K. Mo, B.F. Cappello, and C.A. Banach, et al. 2021. "Hydrolysis of methylphosphonic anhydride solid to methylphosphonic acid probed by Raman and infrared reflectance spectroscopies." Analytical Methods 13, no. 35:3855-4010. PNNL-SA-160396. doi:10.1039/d1ay00610j
• Plymale A.E., J.R. Wells, C.I. Pearce, C.J. Brislawn, E.B. Graham, T. Cheeke, and J.L. Allen, et al. 2021. "Niche partitioning of microbial communities at an ancient vitrified hillfort: implications for vitrified radioactive waste disposal." Geomicrobiology Journal 38, no. 1:36-56. PNNL-SA-150253. doi:10.1080/01490451.2020.1807658
• Saunders D.L., K. Mo, R.G. Tonkyn, C.A. Banach, C.G. Fraga, J.E. Szecsody, and B.F. Cappello, et al. 2021. "Challenges to detection: Humidity as a spur to chemical agent change." In Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXII, April 12-16, 2021, Virtual, Online. Proceedings of the SPIE, edited by J.A. Guicheteau and C.R. Howle, 11749, Paper No. 117490P. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE. PNNL-SA-167078. doi:10.1117/12.2588322
• Yokosuk M.O., T. Tiwald, D.L. Saunders, T.A. Blake, and T.L. Myers. 2021. "Combining Spectroscopic Techniques to Determine the Optical Constants of Powdered Lactose." Applied Optics 60, no. 8:2412-2421. PNNL-SA-157562. doi:10.1364/AO.414107
• Yokosuk M.O., T. Tiwald, D.L. Saunders, T.A. Blake, T.J. Johnson, and T.L. Myers. 2021. "Combining Spectroscopic Ellipsometry with Transmission Spectroscopy to Derive Accurate Optical Constants for Organic Materials." In Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XXII, April 12-16, 2021, Virtual, Online. Proceedings of the SPIE, 11749, Paper No. 117490S. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE. PNNL-SA-160811. doi:10.1117/12.2588323

2019

• Oeck A.M., R.G. Tonkyn, J.S. Loring, C.A. Banach, R.M. Francis, S.D. Burton, and B.E. Bernacki, et al. 2019. "A Free Spectroscopic Databank of Optical Constants for Use in Optics Education and Modeling: complex refractive index data n and k from 1.0 to 25 um." In Fifteenth Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics: ETOP 2019, edited by Anne-Sophie Poulin-Girard and Joseph A. Shaw, 11143, 111430H. PNNL-SA-144111. doi:10.1117/12.2532130

2018

• Lee B.D., J.T. Ellis, A.T. Dodwell, E.E. Eisenhauer, D.L. Saunders, and M.H. Lee. 2018. "Iodate and Nitrate Transformation by Agrobacterium/Rhizobium related strain DVZ35 Isolated from contaminated Hanford Groundwater." Journal of Hazardous Materials 350. PNNL-SA-113610. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.02.006

2017

• Lee B.D., M.H. Lee, M.A. Carlson, J.B. Geiger, D.L. Saunders, K.M. Bral, and E. Cordova, et al. 2017. "Characterization and Well Remediation Strategies for Improved Long-term Pump and Treat System Injection Well Performance - 17272." In Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Waste Management Conference (WM2017): Education & Opportunity in Waste Management, March 5-9, 2017, Phoenix, Arizona, 3, 1890-1904. Tempe, Arizona:Waste Management Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-122916.
• Szecsody J.E., M.J. Truex, B.D. Lee, C.E. Strickland, J.J. Moran, M. Snyder, and C.T. Resch, et al. 2017. Geochemical, Microbial, and Physical Characterization of 200-DV-1 Operable Unit Cores from Boreholes C9552, C9487, and C9488, Hanford Site Central Plateau. PNNL-26266. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• Truex M.J., J.E. Szecsody, N. Qafoku, C.E. Strickland, J.J. Moran, B.D. Lee, and M. Snyder, et al. 2017. Contaminant Attenuation and Transport Characterization of 200-DV-1 Operable Unit Sediment Samples. PNNL-26208. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. doi:10.2172/1368134.Contaminant Attenuation and Transport Characterization of 200-DV-1 Operable Unit Sediment Samples

2010

• Haas D.A., B.T. Schrom, M.W. Cooper, J.H. Ely, A.E. Flory, J.C. Hayes, and T.R. Heimbigner, et al. 2010. "Progress in Advanced Spectral Analysis of Radioxenon." In 2010 Monitoring Research Review: Ground Based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Technologies, LA-UR-10-05578, 604-608. Los Alamos, New Mexico:Los Alamos National Laboratory. PNNL-SA-75157.