Chromium Remediation and Recovery Using Microbial Fuel Cell Technology

该提案涉及应用微生物燃料电池（MFC）技术去除铬（Cr），铬是一种致癌金属，常见于污染地区的土壤和含水层，如棕地或超级基金场地。与现有的处理技术相比，所提出的方法具有独特的优势，它将利用MFC阴极室中希瓦氏菌的金属还原能力，通过还原沉淀去除可溶性和可移动的Cr （VI）物种，同时为系统提供补充电能。PI实验室的初步研究已经证明了原型系统能够有效地从溶液中减少和去除六价铬。该提案将开发一种微生物燃料电池，利用能够还原六价铬的生物在阴极室内形成不溶性沉淀。该研究将有助于进一步了解金属还原菌对六价铬的还原能力和生物途径。本研究的结果也可以推广到其他污染物。到目前为止，应用MFC技术的重点是在阳极室中利用微生物群落处理废水。MFC在重金属修复中的应用将为燃料电池生物阴极和MFC建模提供新的研究途径。这项研究将使人们对金属还原细菌（MRB）的金属还原能力和生物途径有更深入的了解。希瓦氏菌属的成员将被用作我们的模式生物，因为将要利用的菌株的基因组已经被测序。这对未来的基因组学和蛋白质组学研究具有重要意义；关于金属还原途径和功能的发现可以扩展到其他MRB物种和群落。这项研究的结果也可以推广到其他污染物，如砷、铀和锝。拟议的MFC技术的发展将提供非常有益和理想的跨学科合作，重点是保护环境和公众健康。除了作为金属修复和回收的有效工具外，MFC系统的发展对于普通受众和多学科的学生来说都是一个令人兴奋的教育工具

CBET- 0826198NealsonThis proposal involves the application of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for the removal of chromium (Cr), a carcinogenic metal commonly found in the soils and aquifers of polluted locations, such as brownfield or Superfund sites. The proposed approach has unique advantages over the existing treatment techniques it would capitalize on the metal reducing capabilities of Shewanella in the cathode compartment of a MFC to remove the soluble and mobile Cr (VI) species through reductive precipitation while providing supplemental electrical energy to the system. Preliminary studies in the PI's lab have demonstrated the ability of prototype systems to effectively reduce and remove hexavalent chromium species from solution. The proposal will develop a microbial fuel cell to use organisms capable of reducing hexavalent chromium to form an insoluble precipitate within the cathode compartment. The research will result in a greater understanding of the metal reducing ability and biological pathways in metal reducing bacteria for hexavalent chromium species. The results of this study may be also extended to other pollutants. Until now, the focus of applied MFC technology has been wastewater treatment by microbial consortia in the anodic compartment. Application of MFCs to heavy metal remediation will yield new avenues of research with respect to fuel cell biocathodes and MFC modeling. This research will result in a greater understanding of the metal reducing ability and biological pathways found in metal reducing bacteria (MRB). Members of the Shewanella genus will be used as our model organisms because the genomes of strains to be utilized have already been sequenced. This will be of great importance in future genomic and proteomic studies; discoveries regarding metal reduction pathways and functionality can be extended to other MRB species and communities. The results of this study may be also extended to other pollutants such as arsenic, uranium, and technetium. Development of the proposed MFC technology will provide highly beneficial and desirable interdisciplinary collaboration focusing on protecting the environment and public health. In addition to being an effective tool for metal remediation and recovery, the development of the MFC system as proposed would be an exciting educational tool for both general audiences and students of multiple disciplines