A Diffusion Gradient System for Isolating Microorganisms and Studying Microbial Processes Related to Detoxification of Hazardous Chemicals

9361116氢氧化钾微生物主要负责降解进入环境的有毒化学物质。要成功地分离和利用这些微生物进行生物修复，需要确定最大限度地提高解毒活性的物理化学条件。这项工作建议开发一种分析扩散梯度室，模拟微生物世界中普遍存在的扩散过程。该系统可用于分离、浓缩和分离解毒微生物，以及研究这些微生物的行为和由这些微生物介导的解毒过程。建议的系统将由一个梯度室组成，用于在多个连续的可溶小分子扩散梯度中培养微生物。此外，还将有一个用于整合系统流出物的流出室、一个保持恒温的环境控制单元，以及一个用于监测和量化微生物生长和运动的成像单元。这些组件将由Koh开发公司开发。该系统将在密歇根州立大学(MSU)研究人员的帮助下由Koh开发公司进行测试和评估。密歇根州立大学的科学家们还将使用该系统来评估单个细菌物种对多种化学线索的趋化反应。此外，还将使用盐和甲苯的梯度来评估被石油卤水污染的土壤场地对自然群落的反应。还将开发数学模型，以帮助优化系统的性能。

9361116 Koh Microorganisms are primarily responsible for the degradation of toxic chemicals that enter the environment. Successful isolation and exploitation of these microbes for bioremediation requires identifying the physico-chemical conditions under which detoxification activity is maximized. This work proposes to develop an analytical diffusion gradient chamber that mimics the diffusive processes that prevail in the microbial world. This system can be used to separate, enrich for, and isolate detoxifying microorganisms, as well as study the behavior of , and detoxification processes mediated by, these organisms. The proposed system will consist of a gradient chamber for culturing microorganisms in multiple, continuous diffusion gradients of small soluble molecules. In addition there will be an effluent chamber for consolidating effluent flow from the system, an environmental control unit of maintaining constant temperature, and an imaging unit to monitor and quantify microbial growth and movement. These components will be developed by Koh Development, Inc. The system will be tested and evaluated by Koh Development with help from researchers at Michigan State University (MSU). The scientists at MSU will also use the system to evaluate the chemotactic response of an individual bacterial species to multiple chemical cues. In addition, gradients of salt and toluene will be used to evaluate the response of a natural community from a soil site contaminated with oil brine. Mathematical models will also be developed that aid in optimizing the performance of the system.