Presidential Young Investigator Award: Biotransformation ofHazardous Organic Pollutants

对控制环境中有机污染问题和开发处理危险废物的生物工艺替代品的战略进行了研究。将评估低分子卤代脂肪族污染物的生物转化性。重点是确定影响生物转化的因素，如特定电子受体的存在，氧化或还原条件的类型，化学环境，底物和生物的浓度，以及多底物系统中的相对利用率。将制定所涉及的生物过程的数学模型，以便能够预测这些污染物在环境中的移动性，并帮助设计生物处理反应堆。预计实验室的发现将适用于解决现场规模的污染问题。

Research is conducted on strategies to control the problem of organic contamination in the environment and to develop biological process alternatives for treatment of hazardous wastes. The biotransformability of low-molecular-weight halogenated aliphatic contaminants will be evaluated. Emphasis will be placed on determining the factors that influence the biotransformation, such as presence of specific electron acceptors, type of oxidizing or reducing conditions, the chemical environment, substrate and organisms concentration, and relative utilization rates in multiple-substrate systems. Mathematical models of the biological processes involved will be formulated to allow the prediction of the mobility of these contaminants in the environment and to aid the design of biological treatment reactors. The laboratory findings are expected to be applicable to solving field-scale contamination problems.