Developing RHCC-NT as new monitoring and remediation tool for Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

石油和天然气行业的经济效益对加拿大来说是巨大的，并且必须长期可持续。确保环境不受负面影响是义不容辞的。多环芳烃（PAHs）是原油中天然存在的成分，通常分为饱和无环和环羧酸。多环芳烃具有很强的腐蚀性，在从油田和油砂中提取原油（如沥青）以及随后对回收原油进行精炼的过程中，多环芳烃会被从原油（如沥青）中去除。其结果是用于原油回收和加工的水越来越富含多环芳烃。大量溶解的多环芳烃残留在废水中，因此被储存在大型尾矿池中。多环芳烃的问题在于，自然水道中多环芳烃含量的升高对包括细菌、鱼类、植物和哺乳动物在内的水生生物具有极大的毒性。此外，这些污染物有可能从自然水道进入市政供水系统。在与STANTEC的合作中，我们建议开发一种基于右旋线圈纳米管（RHCC-NT）的被动采样器装置（PSD），用于检测和/或从流体和沉积物系统中回收多环烃。该纳米管是基于从黑色吸烟者的通气孔中分离出来的嗜极古细菌Staphylothermus marinus （S. marinus）的RHCC结构域。由于它适应了深海火山的极端条件，s层蛋白具有不同寻常的稳定性（pH值、温度、压力、盐度、离子强度），使其成为生物技术发展的完美工具。在本项目中，我们的目标是开发基于RHCC-NT psd的新技术，该技术可以在亚纳米范围内快速检测各种优先级的多环芳烃，目的是建立一种具有成本效益的监测设备，并建立新一代生物利用度工具。此外，我们将扩展大尺寸腔体的独特存储能力，以开发RHCC-NT作为多环芳烃修复工具。这些技术将显著改善加拿大的水质系统，并通过提高环境可持续性使我们的经济受益。

The economic benefit from the Oil & Gas industry is significant to Canada and has to be sustainable in the long-term. It is incumbent to ensure that the environment is not negatively impacted. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are naturally occurring constituents of crude oil and are generally categorized as saturated acyclic and cyclic carboxylic acids. PAHs are quite corrosive and are removed from crude oil (e.g., bitumen) during its extraction from oil fields and oil sands, and during subsequent refining of the recovered crude oil. The consequence is that water used for recovery and processing of crude oil becomes increasingly enriched with PAHs. Significant amounts of dissolved PAHs remain in waste process water and consequently, are stored in large tailings ponds. The problem with PAHs is that their elevated levels in natural waterways are extremely toxic to aquatic life including bacteria, fish, plants and mammals. Furthermore, it is possible for these pollutants to move from the natural waterways into municipal water supply systems. In collaboration with STANTEC, we are proposing to develop a right-handed coiled coil nanotube (RHCC-NT) based passive sampler device (PSD) that detects and/or recovers PAHs from fluid and sediment systems. The nanotube is based on the RHCC domain from Staphylothermus marinus (S. marinus), an extremophillic archea bacterium isolated from black smoker vents. As a consequence of its adaptation to the extreme conditions at the deep sea volcano, the S-layer protein is characterized by an unusual stability (pH, Temperature, pressure, salinity, ionic strength) that makes it a perfect tool for biotechnological developments. In this project, we aim to develop novel technologies based on RHCC-NT PSDs that can detect fast and in the sub-nM range diverse priority PAH's with the goal to establish a cost effective monitoring device and to establish a new generation bio-availability tool. In addition, we will extend the unique storage capacity of large-sized cavities to develop RHCC-NT as a PAH-remediation tool. Such technologies will significantly improve the water quality systems in Canada and benefit our economy through enhanced environmental sustainability.