HAMMOND | Researchers say they plan to spend up to nine months studying BP wastewater discharge technologies, with plans to update the public along the way.

Representatives from Purdue University Calumet's Water Institute and BP discussed goals of the research Wednesday at the school's Hammond campus.

Last month, Purdue and Argonne National Laboratory were tapped by U.S. Representatives Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., and Judy Biggert, R-Ill., to examine wastewater treatment technologies used by BP.

Purdue researchers have met with those from Argonne to divvy up the workload and assign responsibilities, with the Water Institute taking the lead, said George Nnanna, Institute interim director.

Among the goals researchers have set will be determining whether emerging technologies to limit discharges of ammonia and suspended solids into Lake Michigan would be viable for BP's Whiting plant, Nnanna said.

Nnanna said organizers plan to periodically update the public on the research progress through lecture series and forums, but they have not yet set a schedule to do so.