CAREER: Environmental Impacts of Nanomaterials in Engineered Water Systems: Biological and Physical Effects on Microorganisms

0846719 Kirisits纳米材料正在全球范围内生产-到2014年，全球纳米技术产品市场估计将达到2.4万亿美元。纳米材料具有广泛的有益用途，包括治疗剂的受控递送，太阳能到电能的有效转换，以及从水中有效去除微污染物。尽管纳米材料有许多有益的应用，但它们可能对自然和工程系统产生意想不到的不利影响。该提案的主要目标是全面了解各种纳米材料对细菌的影响，特别是在与饮用水，废水和水再利用有关的工程系统中发现的细菌。 拟议的研究任务将进行测试以下四个假设：（1）细菌发展增加的耐受性和耐纳米材料的侮辱，（2）纳米材料的侮辱改变微生物群落结构，（3）生物膜细菌的反应不同，比浮游细菌的纳米材料的侮辱和（4）生物膜的机械性能受到纳米材料的影响。在这项研究中，六种常见的纳米材料碳富勒烯，碳纳米管，纳米氧化铈，纳米银，纳米二氧化钛和纳米零价铁将被检查其对纯细菌培养物和代表饮用水，废水和水再利用应用的混合微生物群落的影响。教育计划包括通过4年跟踪一个以少数民族学生为主的高中班，创建一个程序，以增加研究生工程和科学学生之间的互动，并组织一个关于环境中的纳米材料的学生研讨会。

0846719KirisitsNanomaterials are being produced globally - the worldwide market for products incorporating nanotechnology is estimated to be $2.4 trillion dollars by 2014. Nanomaterials have a tremendous range of beneficial uses including controlled delivery of therapeutic agents, efficient conversion of solar energy to electrical energy, and effective removal of micropollutants from water. In spite of their many beneficial applications, nanomaterials may have unintended adverse effects on natural and engineered systems. The principal objective of this proposal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the effect of a variety of nanomaterials on bacteria, particularly those found in engineered systems pertaining to drinking water, wastewater, and water reuse. The proposed research tasks will be conducted to test the following four hypotheses: (1) bacteria develop increased tolerance and resistance to nanomaterial insults, (2) nanomaterial insults change microbial community structure, (3) biofilm bacteria respond differently than planktonic bacteria to a nanomaterial insult and (4) biofilm mechanical properties are affected by nanomaterials. In this research, six common nanomaterials carbon fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, nanoscale cerium oxide, nanosilver, nanoscale titanium dioxide, and nanoscale zero valent iron will be examined for their effects on pure bacterial cultures and on mixed microbial communities representative of drinking water, wastewater, and water reuse applications.The educational plan includes shadowing a high school class of predominantly minority students through 4 years, creating a program to increase interactions between graduate engineering and science students, and organizing a student symposium on nanomaterials in the environment.