U.S.-Korea Cooperative Research: Modeling of Reductive Dechlorination of Chlorinated Ethenes

0003928McCarty该奖项支持斯坦福大学西部地区有害物质研究中心主任Perry L. McCarty教授与韩国仁荷大学环境工程系Jaeho Bae博士进行合作研究。联合研究将探讨氯化乙烯的生物降解过程。该项目的主要目标包括制订一个综合了氯化乙烯还原脱氯过程中涉及的许多因素的数值模型，并利用实地数据核实该模型。由于其在工业上的广泛应用，氯化乙烯已成为地下水和土壤的主要污染物。修复被氯化乙烯污染的地下水是非常困难的，因为它们密度大，只能部分溶于水，而且相对耐化学和生物降解。然而，生物还原性脱氯是一种很有前途的污染场地生物修复方法，因为与化学和物理处理相比，它可能具有成本效益，而且由于污染物被降解成无毒的乙烯，它也是环境友好的。还原脱氯所涉及的多个过程是非常复杂的，我们对这一过程的认识仍然相当有限。该项目将结合美国和韩国实验室的互补专业知识和设备，以促进我们对这一过程的相互理解。

0003928McCartyThis award supports Professor Perry L. McCarty, Director of the Western Region Hazardous Substance Research Center, Stanford University, to conduct collaborative research with Dr. Jaeho Bae, Department of Environmental Engineering, Inha University, Korea. The joint study will investigate the process of biological degradation of chlorinated ethenes. Principal objectives of the project include development of a numerical model that integrates the many factors involved in the reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes, and to verify the model using field data. Because of their wide use in industry, chlorinated ethenes have become major contaminants of groundwater and soil. Remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated ethenes is very difficult because they are dense, only partially soluble in water, and relatively resistant to chemical and biological degradation. Nevertheless, biological reductive dechlorination is one of the promising methods for bioremediation of contaminated sites, as it may be cost-effective compared to chemical and physical treatment, and it is also environmentally friendly as contaminants are degraded into non-toxic ethene. The multiple processes involved in reductive dechlorination are highly complex, and our knowledge of this process is still rather limited. This project will combine the complementary expertise and facilities of the American and Korean laboratories to advance our mutual understanding of the process.