CAREER: Innovative Soil Remediation Methodologies - CAREER Development

这一行动是在NSF教师早期职业发展(CALEAR)计划NSF 00-89范围内采取的，以支持地质环境工程研究/教育职业计划，重点是创新的土壤修复。研究部分调查利用电渗透将氧气(通过电解产生)输送到细粒土壤中，以促进对捕获的有机污染物的就地生物修复。教育部分将项目的技术任务整合到更广泛的岩土环境工程教学方面，以便接触到不同水平的学生。由于土壤渗透性低和优先的流动路径，氧气输送通常是就地生物修复的限制因素。目前正在研究使用电流来克服氧气注入问题。应用直流电(DC)可通过在阳极处电解水来控制氧气的生产。然后，电渗流将含氧水输送到受污染的淤泥和粘土层中，以刺激被捕获的有机污染物的生物修复。这一过程是复杂的，涉及尚未确定的水文地质、电化学和生物地球化学相互作用，例如电场下的微生物行为。研究的重点是(A)直流电场在细粒土壤中的氧气产生和传输速率，(B)电场对多孔介质中微生物生长和传输的影响，(C)通过电化学产生/传输氧气促进细粒土壤中有机污染物的原位降解，以及(D)促进非均质土壤中的降解。教育部分的目标是将这一项目的成果纳入首席研究员正在开发的一门新的本科地质环境工程课程中。本科生将通过东北大学合作教育项目参与这项研究。国际和平研究所还将通过开发教育光盘向高中生提供帮助，该光盘将(A)展示基础科学与工程应用(特别是岩土工程和环境工程)之间的联系，(B)努力促进土木工程和环境工程作为激动人心的研究和实践领域。PI还将与Connections合作，这是一个由NSF资助的项目，旨在帮助女性过渡到科学、工程和数学(SEM)职业。国际和平协会将为高中女孩、女童军和本科生妇女提供机会，由Connections赞助，了解岩土工程和环境工程，评估教育光盘，并参与该项目的研究和教育任务。研究生将参与这项研究，并在前沿的、以实践为导向的地质环境研究方面获得良好的经验。最终的目标是通过采用创新的教学和评估技术，进一步发展PI作为教育工作者的能力。将开发并不断更新一个网站，介绍该项目的研究和教育内容。

This action is taken within the NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program NSF 00-89, to support a research/education career plan in geoenvironmental engineering, with emphasis on innovative soil remediation. The research component investigates the use of electroosmosis for transport of oxygen (produced by electrolysis) into fine-grained soils in order to stimulate in situ bioremediation of trapped organic contaminants. The educational component integrates the technical tasks of the project into the broader aspects of teaching in geoenvironmental engineering so as to reach students at different levels.Oxygen delivery is generally the limiting factor for in situ bioremediation due to low soil permeabilities and preferential flow paths. The use of electric currents is being investigated to overcome oxygen injection problems. Application of a direct current (dc) results in controlled oxygen production by water electrolysis at the anode. Electroosmotic flow then delivers oxygenated water into contaminated silt and clay layers to stimulate bioremediation of trapped organic contaminants. This process is complex and involves as-yet-undetermined hydrogeological, electrochemical and biogeochemical interactions, such as microbial behavior under electric fields. The research focuses on (a) rates of oxygen production and transport in fine-grained soils by dc electric fields, (b) impact of electric fields on microbial growth and transport in porous media, (c) stimulating in situ degradation of organic contaminants in fine-grained soils by electrochemical production/transport of oxygen, and (d) enhancing degradation in heterogeneous soils.The goal of the education component is to incorporate the findings of this project in a new undergraduate geoenvironmental engineering course being developed by the Principal Investigator. Undergraduate students will participate in the research through the Northeastern University Cooperative (Co-op) education program. The PI will also reach out to high school students by developing an educational CD-ROM that will (a) demonstrate the link between the basic sciences and engineering applications (geotechnical and environmental engineering in particular) and (b) attempt to promote civil and environmental engineering as exciting fields of study and practice. The PI will also partner with CONNECTIONS, a NSF funded project that is designed to help women transition into careers in science, engineering, and math (SEM). The PI will provide opportunities for high school girls, girl scouts and undergraduate women, sponsored by CONNECTIONS, to learn about geotechnical and environmental engineering, evaluate the educational CD-ROM, and participate in the research and educational tasks of this project. Graduate students will participate in the research and gain an excellent experience in cutting-edge, practice-oriented geoenvironmental research. A final goal is to further the PI's development as an educator by adopting innovative teaching and assessment techniques. A WEB site will be developed and continuously updated to present the research and educational components of this project.