An Investigation of the Role of Protozoa in an Organically- Contaminated Subsurface Environment

9312235 Kner这是一个支持研究的奖项，其目的是比目前更全面地了解影响地下水中原生动物运输行为的因素。该项目涉及确定含水层原生动物所使用的有机碳的来源、营养原生动物和包囊原生动物的数量和多样性随地化和生物参数的时间变化而发生的变化，以及非饱和地带原生动物活动和多样性的程度随地下水位深度的变化情况。这是之前在美国国家科学基金会第90-12183号补助金下进行的研究的更新。该项目涉及与美国地质调查局(Ronald W.Harvey)合作在其位于马萨诸塞州科德角奥蒂斯空军基地的地下水污染现场进行实地研究，还包括与大英自然历史博物馆(Alan Warren和Gianfranco Novarino)在地下水微生物学方面的合作分包合同。这项研究预计将提供关于原生动物通过含水层和被有机化学品污染的沉积物运输对含水层微生物种群的作用的信息。这对公众健康和可能用于受污染含水层和沉积物的生物修复都有重大影响。结果可用于单独使用生物修复过程或作为包括物理和化学过程的系统的一部分的含水层净化系统的工程设计。

9312235 Kinner This is an award to support research the objective of which is to obtain a more complete understanding than now exists of the factors affecting protozoan transport behavior in groundwater. The project involves determination of the sources of organic carbon used by the aquifer protozoa, the variation in numbers and diversity of trophic and encysted protozoa in response to temporal variations in geochemical and biological parameters, and the extent of protozoan activity and diversity in the unsaturated zone as a function of depth to the water table. It is a renewal of research conducted previously under NSF Grant No. 90- 12183. The project involves field studies in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (Ronald W. Harvey) at its groundwater contamination site located at the Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and also includes a subcontract for collaboration on groundwater microbiology with the British Museum of Natural History (Alan Warren and Gianfranco Novarino). This research is expected to provide information on the role that protozoan transport through aquifers and sediments contaminated by organic chemicals plays on microbial populations in aquifers. This has significant implications for both public health and for potential use in bioremediation of contaminated aquifers and sediments. Results may be applied in engineering design of systems for decontamination of aquifers using a bioremediation process alone or as part of a system that includes physical and chemical processes.