Collaborative Research: Debromination of PBDEs in Aquatic Sediments

拟议活动的目的是评估沉积物中多溴二苯醚的原位脱溴作用。将收集高度污染场地的沉积物样本，确定其年代和性质。考虑到多溴二苯醚同系物的潜在混合和脱溴反应的复杂性，将开发一个数学模型，并用于模拟脱溴途径。这里提议的工作将大大增加我们对环境中多溴二苯醚命运的了解。许多调查人员研究了多溴二苯醚在鱼类中的分布情况;然而，很少有研究关注多溴二苯醚在沉积物中的命运，特别是它们如何降解。野外工作和微生物富集研究的结合将使研究人员能够开始了解这些化合物在环境中的行为。这是一个深思熟虑和写得很好的建议，应该得到资助。该提案将对促进环境科学与工程、大学基础设施和公众的多样性产生重大影响。大学的环境和PI的经验有利于招聘和培训科学和工程专业代表性不足的学生。硬件升级应有助于调查人员和其他人员进行这项研究和其他研究。

CBET-0756320ChristensenThe objective of the proposed activity is to assess in-situ debromination of PBDEs in sediments. Sediment samples from highly contaminated sites are to be collected, dated and characterized. A mathematical model, considering the complexity of the potential mix of PBDE congeners and the debromination reactions, will be developed and used to simulate debromination pathways. The work proposed here will significantly increase our understanding of the fate of PBDEs in the environment. Many investigators have looked at the distribution of PBDEs in fish; however, very few studies have looked at the fate of PBDEs in sediments, especially with respect to how they degrade. The combination of field work and microbial enrichment studies will enable the investigators to begin the process of understanding how these compounds behave in the environment. This is a well thought out and well written proposal and should be funded. This proposal will significantly impact the promotion of diversity in environmental science and engineering, the university infrastructure, and the general public. The university setting and the experiences of the PI are conducive to the recruitment and training of underrepresented students in the sciences and engineering. The hardware upgrade should facilitate this and other studies by the investigators and others.