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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude toward the research advisor Dr. Meghna Babbar-Sebens for accepting me as part of her research team. Her belief in one’s intellectual potential and continuous enthusiasm and support were very inspiring throughout the process of acquiring new experiences and allowed me to reach higher levels of professionalism. I would also like to thank research committee members Dr. Lenore Tedesco and Dr. Pierre-Andre Jacinthe for their support and scientific contributions. I am thankful to Dr. Tedesco for her dedication and true knowledge of environmental sciences. I am thankful to Dr. Jacinthe for his positive demeanor and inquisitive nature. A very special thank you goes to my family, whose love and support are independent of passing time. I am thankful to my parents, Danuta and Zbigniew Zań, whose ability to see wonder in everything from big to small and whose dedication to helping those in need, will always guide me in my pursuit of a fulfilled and moral life. Another thank you goes to my husband Neal Bruder for walking with me the path of life, for unconditional love