CAREER: Microbial-Based Engineering Approaches for Prevention and Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage: An Integrated Research and Education Plan

职业：基于微生物的工程方法预防和处理酸性矿山排水：综合研究和教育计划

• 批准号: 0239314
• 负责人: Eric Marchand
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: Board of Regents, NSHE, obo University of Nevada, Reno
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-07-01 至 2009-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0239314&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Microbial; Based; Engineering; Approaches

0239314 Marchand The research described in this proposal aims to study methods for minimizing acid formation in situ by stimulating heterotrophic microbial growth. It is hypothesized that if given the appropriate conditions (namely, a degradable organic carbon source), heterotrophic bacteria will be able to out-compete the iron-oxidizing microbes responsible for catalyzing acid-forming reactions at acid mine drainage (AMD) sites.This is an area that has not achieved much attention and has the potential to be utilized as both a remediation and prevention technique. The proposed research will provide fundamental understanding of microbial community structure in a model extreme environment; however, results may be transferable to community dynamics in other extreme environments that are subject to similar constraints.This investigation will experimentally evaluate the influence of supplemental organic carbon substrate addition on mineral oxidation in fractured or biofilm-based systems. The specific objectives of the research are:1. Identify the influence of enhanced heterotrophic microbial growth on mineral oxidation by acidophilic microbes in laboratory systems with a high surface area to volume ratio.2. Establish the mechanism(s) involved in heterotroph-induced prevention of acid generation and determine the appropriate conditions to enhance heterotroph-induced prevention of acid generation in biofilm-dominated systems.3. Identify the relative influence of microbial iron and sulfate reduction in acidic environments for bioremediation of acid mine drainage.4. Assess the influence of organic carbon substrate addition on acid generation at a well-characterized AMD site.The long term and broader scientific and engineering impacts of the proposed research involves the development of new methods for both prevention and mitigation of acidic drainage. While current applications focus on treatment of acidic, metal-containing water streams - typically utilizing chemical precipitation - the proposed research will attempt to prevent acid formation in situ before treatment is required. While a primary goal of the proposed research is to prevent acid generation from occurring in the first place efforts will also be made to identify the efficacy of achieving in situ iron and sulfate reduction, particularly in low temperature environments.Scientific outreach activities associated with this project will include participation of the PI in regional public meetings aimed at educating the public about issues associated with acid mine drainage. The PI has already developed a working relationship with regulators and water quality scientists at the California Regional Water Quality Control Board - Lahonton Region and will work with these individuals to disseminate experimental results.The broader education-based implications of this research involve the development of interactive experiments for incorporation into the Mobile Engineering Education Laboratory (ME 2 L). Funds are requested to support undergraduate students while they design and build interactive displays for the mobile lab. In addition to their utility for the ME 2 L program, these demonstrations will also be incorporated into Engineering Day and the Science Day programs at UNR, two programs aimed at getting High School students to think seriously about careers in science and engineering. In addition to these outreach-based education goals, the PI has also proposed to develop an undergraduate and graduate coursework series in environmental engineering that introduces fundamental and applied aspects of environmental microbiology in an engineering curriculum.

0239314 Marchand 该提案中描述的研究旨在研究通过刺激异养微生物生长来最大限度地减少原位酸形成的方法。 据推测，如果给定适当的条件（即可降解的有机碳源），异养细菌将能够击败负责催化酸性矿山排水（AMD）场地形成酸反应的铁氧化微生物。这是一个尚未引起太多关注的领域，但有潜力用作修复和预防技术。拟议的研究将为模型极端环境中的微生物群落结构提供基本了解；然而，结果可能会转移到受到类似限制的其他极端环境中的群落动态。本研究将通过实验评估添加补充有机碳底物对断裂或基于生物膜的系统中矿物氧化的影响。研究的具体目标是： 1．确定高表面积与体积比的实验室系统中异养微生物生长增强对嗜酸微生物矿物氧化的影响。2．建立涉及异养生物诱导的酸产生预防的机制，并确定在生物膜主导的系统中增强异养生物诱导的酸产生预防的适当条件。3．确定酸性环境中微生物铁和硫酸盐还原对酸性矿山排水生物修复的相对影响。4．评估添加有机碳底物对特征明确的 AMD 地点的酸生成的影响。拟议研究的长期和更广泛的科学和工程影响涉及开发预防和缓解酸性排水的新方法。虽然目前的应用集中于酸性含金属水流的处理（通常利用化学沉淀），但拟议的研究将尝试在需要处理之前防止原位形成酸。虽然拟议研究的主要目标是首先防止酸生成的发生，但还将努力确定实现原位铁和硫酸盐还原的功效，特别是在低温环境下。与该项目相关的科学推广活动将包括 PI 参加区域公众会议，旨在教育公众有关酸性矿山排水的相关问题。 PI 已经与加州地区水质控制委员会 - 拉洪顿地区的监管机构和水质科学家建立了工作关系，并将与这些人员合作传播实验结果。这项研究更广泛的教育意义包括开发交互式实验，以纳入移动工程教育实验室 (ME 2 L)。需要资金支持本科生为移动实验室设计和构建交互式显示器。除了 ME 2 L 计划的实用性外，这些演示还将被纳入 UNR 的工程日和科学日计划，这两个计划旨在让高中生认真思考科学和工程职业。除了这些基于外展的教育目标外，PI还提议开发环境工程本科生和研究生课程系列，在工程课程中介绍环境微生物学的基础和应用方面。