Natural Attenuation and Enhanced Biodegradation of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether in Anoxic Aquifers

甲基叔丁基醚（MTBE）是一种有趣的地下水污染物。MTBE是一种没有天然来源的合成化学品，其生物降解对微生物是一个挑战。由于几十年的广泛使用，MTBE已成为最常见的地下水污染物之一，由于其在环境中的持久性，需要进行补救。本研究的总体假设是，长期的MTBE污染将丰富厌氧微生物群落，能够利用这种化合物作为碳和能量的来源。以往的研究表明，MTBE的降解可以在不同的缺氧条件下发生，并且可能是缺氧环境中的一个重要过程。然而，人们对能够利用MTBE的细菌种类知之甚少，对其生物降解机制也知之甚少。该研究项目旨在阐明在缺氧地下环境中介导MTBE降解的细菌活性。将鉴定受污染的含水层和沉积物中负责MTBE转化/降解的新型微生物及其基因，以便开发监测环境中MTBE自然衰减和增强生物降解的工具。尽管使用甲基叔丁基醚作为燃料氧化物已被广泛禁止，但含水层和饮用水源受到污染的问题仍然存在。MTBE具有非常强烈的松节油样味道和气味，只能在极低水平的饮用水中耐受。长期吸入或口服MTBE对人体健康的影响尚不清楚。越来越需要开发有效的技术来修复mtbe污染的场地。监测工具对于了解微生物过程是如何受到不同修正或其他工程方法的影响的至关重要。该项目将产生新的方法来评估和刺激生物修复，并记录MTBE在自然衰减方法中的生物降解。多种自然过程控制烟柱迁移，降低MTBE浓度。在这些过程中，生物降解是以可持续的方式减少环境中污染物质量的最有效方法。一个关键的挑战是准确地评估原位修复技术的效率。从研究中获得的基础微生物学和环境工程知识将填补我们对MTBE在环境中的命运和转化的理解的主要知识空白。通过新兴的MTBE环境分子诊断学来实施现场评估，可以通过更可持续的修复实践节省成本，帮助选择缩短时间的现场方法，并提供信息以允许更合理的现场修复方法。

CBET 1335824 Max M. HaggblomRutgers UniversityMethyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is an intriguing groundwater pollutant. MTBE is a synthetic chemical with no natural sources and its biodegradation is a challenge to microorganisms. As a consequence of several decades of extensive use MTBE has become one of the most frequently detected groundwater contaminants, requiring remediation due to its persistence in the environment. The overall hypothesis of this research is that long-term MTBE contamination will enrich for anaerobic microbial communities that are capable of utilizing this compound as a source of carbon and energy. Previous research has demonstrated that MTBE degradation can occur under different anoxic conditions, and may be an important process in anoxic environments. However, little is still known about the bacterial species that can utilize MTBE and the biodegradation mechanisms are poorly understood. The research project seeks to elucidate the activity of bacteria that mediate degradation of MTBE in anoxic subsurface environments. Novel microorganisms and their genes responsible for transformation/degradation of MTBE in contaminated aquifers and sediments will be identified in order to develop tools for monitoring natural attenuation and enhanced biodegradation of MTBE in the environment. Although the use of MTBE as a fuel oxygenate has now been widely banned, problems with contaminated aquifers and drinking water sources persist. MTBE has a very strong turpentine-like taste and smell and can only be tolerated in drinking water at very low levels. The human-health effects of long-term inhalation or oral exposures to MTBE are unknown. There has been an increasing need in the development of effective technologies to remediate MTBE-contaminated sites. Monitoring tools are critical to gaining an understanding of how microbial processes, and thus remediation, are affected by different amendments or other engineering approaches. This project will yield novel approaches to assess and stimulate bioremediation and to document in situ MTBE biodegradation in natural attenuation approaches. A variety of natural processes control plume migration and reduce MTBE concentration. Among these processes, biodegradation is the most effective in reducing the mass of contaminant in the environment in a sustainable way. A key challenge is to accurately assess the efficiency of the remediation techniques in situ. The fundamental microbiological and environmental engineering knowledge gained from the research will fill major knowledge gaps in our understanding of fate and transformation of MTBE in the environment. Implementation of site assessment via emerging environmental molecular diagnostics for MTBE could lead to cost-savings through more sustainable remediation practices, aid choice of site approaches that lead to shortened timelines, and provide information to allow a more rational approach for site remediation.