PAH Bioremediation and Monitoring in Biowalls

多环芳烃（PAHs）是超级基金场地的重要污染物。它们通常有毒，可能致癌。因此，需要研究从受污染的地下水中去除多环芳烃的实用方法。多环芳烃通常伴随着这些网站的重金属，如砷和镉。不幸的是，很少有人知道多环芳烃和重金属之间的相互作用，以及这些金属的存在可能对多环芳烃生物修复的影响。有毒有机物和金属的复杂混合物很难研究，因此在很大程度上被忽视了。本研究的总体目标是了解有毒物质复杂混合物的传输和生物降解机制， 污染物在超级基金网站。我们将研究一种新的地下水处理系统，称为“生物墙”或可渗透的生物屏障系统。确定生物膜在可渗透生物屏障系统中的作用对于设计更有效的处理系统是至关重要的，因为土壤生物膜中的质量传输机制、结构形式和生物降解过程还不清楚。工程部分将侧重于设计和评价覆盖物生物墙，并开发污染物监测微电极，用于研究超级基金地点含水层中多环芳烃-金属混合物的生物降解。将研究真菌在生物墙中的潜在用途。研究将在 模拟超级基金试验台，复制受污染的地下水系统。在超级基金场址成功监测生物膜和孔隙水也将提高生物补救处理的效率。因此，在以前的SBRP研究中开发的微电极将被修改为现场使用，并在试验台上进行测试。此外，还将开发一种新的基于MEMS的重金属分析仪，供实地使用。这项研究的结果将是更好地了解如何复杂的有毒物质混合物可以在超级基金网站的生物修复，以减少这些多环芳烃的潜在影响， 重金属对人体健康的危害

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are significant pollutants at Superfund sites. They are often toxic and may be carcinogenic. Consequently, research is needed on practical methods to remove the PAHs from contaminated groundwaters. PAHs are usually accompanied at these sites by heavy metals such as arsenic and cadmium. Unfortunately, little is known about the interactions between PAHs and heavy metals and the effect the presence of these metals may have on PAH bioremediation. Complex mixtures of toxic organics and metals are difficult to study and have, therefore, been largely ignored. The overall goal of this research s to gain an understanding of the transport and biodegradation mechanisms of complex mixtures of toxic pollutants at Superfund sites. We will be studying a novel groundwater treatment systems known as a "biowall" or permeable bio-barrier system. Determining the role of biofilm in permeable bio-barrier systems is crucial to the design of more efficient treatment systems since the mass transport mechanisms, structural forms, and biodegradation processes in soil biofilms are not well understood. The engineering component will focus on design and evaluation of mulch-based biowalls and development of pollutant monitoring microelectrodes for application in studying the biodegradation of PAH-metal mixtures in water aquifers at Superfund sites. The potential use of fungi in the biowall will be examined. Research will be conducted in a simulated Superfund testbed that replicates a contaminated groundwater system. The successful monitoring of biofilms and pore water at Superfund sites will also improve process efficiency in bioremediation treatment. Therefore, microelectrodes developed in previous SBRP research will be modified for field use and tested in the testbeds.. In addition, a new MEMS-based heavy metal analyzer for use in the field will be developed. The result of this research-will be a better understanding of how complex mixtures of toxic materials can be bioremediated at Superfund sites so as to reduce the potential impact of these PAHs and heavy metals on human health.