U.S.-Korea Cooperative Research: Electrokinetic-Enhanced Bioremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils

该奖项支持由Krishna Reddy教授和芝加哥伊利诺伊大学的一名研究生以及韩国科学技术院（KAIST）国家环境修复实验室的杨志远（Ji-Won Yang）博士等人参与的美韩研究合作。他们建议开发一种创新的集成电-生物修复技术来修复土壤中的重金属污染。韩国研究组对土壤和地下水的修复技术进行了广泛的研究，在污染土壤的生物修复方面具有专长。他们将研究重金属的生物转化，并结合使用电动作为输送系统。PI在污染场地的原位修复方面有着丰富的研究经验，特别是在土壤的电动修复方面；他将专注于这项技术的电动方面。科学价值重金属污染在美国和韩国的许多地方都很普遍。该研究的具体目标是：(1)研究土壤中重金属的生物转化；(2)研究土壤中养分和微生物的电动运输；(3)研究通过电动增强的生物刺激和生物增强对土壤中重金属的生物固定化。这项技术从土壤中去除有毒疏水性有机化合物的几个基本方面正在由Reddy教授目前在土木和机械工程系的NSF研究支持下进行研究。cms - 0100073。这些目标将通过实验室实验来实现：(1)表征土壤中重金属的微生物转化；(2)评估不同土壤条件下养分和微生物的电动输送；(3)研究不同土壤条件下综合电动强化重金属生物固定化的效果。实验结果将用于制定设计和实施现场规模系统的准则，并评估处理技术的长期影响。美国和韩国研究人员的相关专业知识将有助于成功完成拟议的研究。电动力生物固定化技术在复杂的地下环境下修复污染场地具有很大的潜力。美国和韩国的许多场地受到有毒重金属污染，需要紧急清理，以保护公众健康和环境。采用自然生物过程得到了公众的广泛支持。不幸的是，大多数污染场地的生物利用度和污染物的流动性差，以及毒性增加。拟议的研究将确定这一过程固定重金属的能力。它还在美国和韩国研究人员之间建立了一项新的合作，并汇集了有关的专门知识，以开发一种创新的危险废物场地清理技术。在许多国家，综合电-生物修复技术有潜力成为一种简单、高效和经济的原位修复污染场地的技术。作为一种原位方法，该技术可以减少修复过程中的现场干扰，从而消除对周围环境和公众的污染物暴露。韩国的参与将得到韩国科学财团（KOSEF）的支持。该项目将为PI和一名美国研究生提供国际研究培训和经验。

OISE 0425994Krishna Reddy, University of Illinois at Chicago This award supports an U.S.-Korea research collaboration involving Professor Krishna Reddy and a graduate student of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Dr. Ji-Won Yang and others of the National Lab for Environmental Remediation of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST). They propose to develop an innovative integrated electrokinetic-bioremediation technology to remediate heavy metal contamination in soils. The Korean team has conducted extensive research on soil and groundwater remediation technologies and has expertise on bioremediation of contaminated soils. They will study biological transformation of heavy metals in conjunction with the use of electrokinetics as delivery system. The PI has extensive research experience with in-situ remediation of contaminated sites and in particular with electrokinetic remediation of soils; he will focus on the electrokinetic aspects of the technology.Scientific MeritHeavy metal contamination is prevalent at numerous sites in the United States and Korea. The specific objectives of the proposed research are (1) investigate biological transformations of heavy metals in soils, (2) investigate electrokinetic transport of nutrients and microorganisms in soils, and (3) investigate biological immobilization of heavy metals in soils through electrokinetically enhanced biostimulation and bioaugmentation. Several fundamental aspects of this technology for the removal of toxic hydrophobic organic compounds from soils are being addressed under Professor Reddy's current NSF research support from the Division of Civil and Mechanical Engineering. CMS-0100073. These objectives will be accomplished by laboratory experiments: (1) to characterize microbial transformation of heavy metals in soils; (2) to assess electrokinetic delivery of nutrients and microbes under different soil conditions; and (3) to investigate efficiency of integrated electrokinetic-enhanced bio-immobilization of heavy metals in different soil conditions. The experimental results will be utilized to develop guidelines for the design and implementation of field-scale systems and to assess long-term implications of the treatment technology. The combined relevant expertise of the US and Korean researchers will facilitate successful completion of the proposed research. Broader Impacts Electrokinetic bio-immobilization has great potential to remediate contaminated sites under difficult subsurface conditions. Numerous sites in the United States and in Korea are contaminated with toxic heavy metals and they require urgent cleanup to protect public health and the environment. Employing natural biological processes is finding widespread public support. Unfortunately, most contaminated sites suffer from the poor bioavailability and mobility of contaminants, as well as increased toxicity. The proposed research will determine the ability of this process to immobilize heavy metals. It also establishes a new collaboration between US and Korean researchers and brings together the relevant expertise to develop an innovative hazardous waste site cleanup technology. Integrated electrokinetic-bioremediation technology has potential to be a simple, efficient and cost-effective in-situ technology to remediate contaminated sites in many countries. Being an in-situ method, this technology can reduce site disturbance during remedial operations, thereby eliminating contaminant exposure of the surrounding environment and the public. Korean participation will be supported by the Korean Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF). This project will provide international research training and experience to the PI and to a U.S. graduate student.