Biosurfactant-enhanced Bioemediation of Petroleum hydrocarbon and Heavy Metal Co-contaminated Sites in Atlantic Canada

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Soil contamination caused by oil and gas operations is acquiring the growing attention of the public, governments and industries. In situ bioremediation has been proven to be a promising technology for cleaning up petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contaminated sites. However, the wide co-existence of heavy metals at PHC-contaminated sites impairs the treatment efficiency, which has become one of the most challenging tasks facing environmental researchers and engineers. The proposed research attempts to take on the challenge and fill the gaps in knowledge and technology through developing a set of advanced experimental approaches for facilitating biosurfactant-enhanced bioremediation of PHCs and heavy metals co-contaminated sites. It entails tasks of optimized biosurfactant production, biosurfactant transport and fate investigation, and biosurfactant-contaminant-soil interaction exploration during bioremediation. The developed methodologies and associated technologies will be examined in a pilot-scale physical system before application to real-world cases in Atlantic Canada. The proposed research will comprehensively take into account a number of concerns arising from bioremediation and lead to generating more effective alternatives, which would represent a unique contribution to the knowledge of remediation engineering. The proposed research will also provide a better understanding of biosurfactant behaviours in both uncontaminated and contaminated soils, and thus contribute to knowledge of mechanisms exploration. This research will directly benefit governments and industries within Atlantic Canada and beyond by improving their effectiveness and capabilities in solving challenging subsurface contamination problems. In addition, students will be involved and trained in the research program within a multidisciplinary research setting. The trained graduates will fill a pressing need for environmental engineering professionals in industrial, governmental, and academic sectors, and contribute to Canadian competitiveness and advancement.