Engineering synergy of microbes and minerals for clean technology: integrating environmental remediation and converting waste to valuables

微生物和矿物质在清洁技术中的工程协同作用：整合环境修复并将废物转化为有价值的东西

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-06144
• 负责人: Chang, WonJae
• 金额: $ 1.89万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=741058
• 关键词: Engineering; synergy; microbes; minerals; clean

Canadian energy and natural resource industries are essential to Canada's economy and operate in highly competitive global markets. They face the challenge of dealing with environmental risks, receive tremendous attention from global movements, and are being held responsible for mitigating environmental disturbances. I have developed the long-term vision of my research to innovate clean technologies for Canada with these industries in mind. My NSERC DG research, Engineering synergy of microbes and minerals for clean technology: integrating environmental remediation and converting waste to valuables, is based on the following central concept: engineering the natural resilience of native pollutant-degrading microbes and mineralogical reactions for waste-to-valuables conversion. I recently identified external factors that can be controlled to naturally extend the bioremediation of oil-impacted soils in cold climates. Leveraging the seasonal resilience of indigenous stress-tolerant hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities in freezing and frozen contaminated soils is possible, and its effects are reproducible, consistent, and meaningful in terms of meeting national environmental standards. This crucial finding has revealed new opportunities for research into stress-tolerant bioremediation for remote cold-climate sites that have no energy supply and decreased overall remediation times and costs. My research also shows that rapid natural mineralization in the presence of target contaminants is another natural resilience that can be utilized to advance remediation technology. The mayenite-to-hydrocalumite mineral transformation is highly effective at removing excess chloride ions, which cause salinity and corrosion and are a significant concern for soil health, water quality, and subsurface infrastructure. We successfully synthesized mayenite in an economical way, revealing a development opportunity for novel clean technology. The short-term objectives of my DG research program are to (1) further establish the governing mechanisms and optimize our methods of engineering the key factors involved in stress-tolerant bioremediation for petroleum-impacted soils in cold climates and (2) further develop our mineral-based desalination cycles for potash mine waste, integrate them with nutrient recovery, and assess the feasibility of using recovered nutrient-enriched minerals for the bioremediation of waste soils from oil and coal production. Potash mine waste products may ultimately be beneficial to oilfield waste treatment. My NSERC DG research will trigger transformative changes in concepts and practices within environmental remediation and mine waste management. It will produce hybrid remediation and waste management technologies that will become a significantly profitable part of a circular economy, rather than an environmental cost. This research is highly beneficial to sustainable development and environmental protection in Canada.

加拿大能源和自然资源行业对加拿大经济至关重要，并在竞争激烈的全球市场中运营。它们面临着应对环境风险的挑战，受到全球运动的极大关注，并被追究减轻环境干扰的责任。考虑到这些行业，我制定了我的研究的长期愿景，为加拿大创新清洁技术。我的NSERC DG研究，清洁技术的微生物和矿物的工程协同：整合环境修复和将废物转化为贵重物品，基于以下核心概念：工程本地污染物降解微生物的自然弹性和将废物转化为贵重物品的矿物学反应。我最近确定了可以控制的外部因素，以在寒冷气候下自然扩展受石油影响的土壤的生物修复。利用当地耐受胁迫的碳氢化合物降解微生物群落在冰冻和冰冻污染土壤中的季节性弹性是可能的，其影响是可重复的、始终如一的，在满足国家环境标准方面是有意义的。这一关键发现为研究偏远寒冷气候地区的耐压生物修复提供了新的机会，这些地点没有能源供应，减少了总体修复时间和成本。我的研究还表明，在目标污染物存在的情况下快速自然矿化是另一种可用于推进修复技术的自然弹性。从蛋沸石到水方解石的矿物转化非常有效地去除了过量的氯离子，这些氯离子会导致盐分和腐蚀，并对土壤健康、水质和地下基础设施产生重大影响。我们以一种经济的方法成功地合成了镁铝榴石，为新型清洁技术提供了发展机遇。我的DG研究计划的短期目标是(1)进一步建立管理机制，优化我们的工程方法，以解决寒冷气候下受石油影响的土壤的耐压生物修复所涉及的关键因素，(2)进一步开发我们针对钾矿废物的矿物型海水淡化循环，将其与养分恢复相结合，并评估使用回收的营养丰富的矿物进行石油和煤炭生产废弃土壤生物修复的可行性。钾矿废渣最终可能有利于油田废渣的处理。我的NSERC DG研究将引发环境修复和矿山废物管理领域的概念和实践的变革性变化。它将产生混合补救和废物管理技术，这些技术将成为循环经济中利润丰厚的部分，而不是环境成本。这项研究对加拿大的可持续发展和环境保护大有裨益。