SBIR Phase I: Removal of Contaminants from Soil Using an Enhanced Phytoextraction Process

** 9760703 Hodko这个小企业创新研究阶段的项目描述了一种创新方法的发展，用于净化被重金属污染的土壤和废物。重金属污染是土壤治理中最棘手的问题之一。目前的技术主要依赖于非原位金属提取或原位污染物固定化过程，这些方法昂贵且在土壤处理过程中会去除土壤中的所有生物活性。近年来，利用金属积累植物对污染土壤中的金属进行了去除研究。这种新的植物修复技术利用特别选择或工程设计的金属积累植物或原产于含金属土壤的植物，其生物积累金属的能力大于2%的空气植物干物质。然而，该技术的使用仅限于浅表污染土壤，这是由植物根长和植物吸力决定的。Lynntech公司提出了一种创新的植物修复方法，该方法将大大提高植物提取的过程，并将其应用于深层地下污染的土壤。该方法包括一个过程，允许向上，反重力运输污染物，水，以及营养物质通过土壤基质到根际。一旦污染物被运输到根际，它们将被污染物积累植物提取，这些植物可以将土壤中的污染物集中到根和地上芽的可收获部分。这项研究的潜在商业应用：这项技术的发展如果证明是成功的，将具有很大的潜在商业应用：(i)在修复混合废物污染土壤（重金属、有机物和放射性核素）方面；（二）在农业中用于修复污水污泥改良的土壤和清除根际区的农药和其他毒素，以及（三）作为干燥土壤中养分和水分运输和遏制的创新做法。＊＊＊

*** 9760703 Hodko This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project describes the development of an innovative approach for decontamination of soils and wastes polluted by heavy metals. Heavy metal contamination presents one of the most intractable problems for soil clean-up. Present technology relies mostly upon ex situ metal extraction or in situ contaminant immobilization processes, which are expensive and which remove all biological activity in the soil during the soil treatment. Recently, the use of metal-accumulating plants was explored for the removal of metals from contaminated soils. This new phytoremediation technology utilizes specially selected or engineered metal accumulating plants or plants native to metalliferous soils with a capacity to bioaccumulate metals to concentrations greater than 2% in the aerial plant dry matter. However, the use of this technology is limited to superficially-contaminated soils, which is determined by the plant root length and plant suction potential. Lynntech, Inc. proposes a development of an innovative approach to phytoremediation, which will significantly enhance the process of phytoextraction and extend its application to soils with deep subsurface contamination. The approach involves a process which allows an upward, counter-gravitational transport of contaminants, water, as well as nutrients through the soil matrix to the rhizosphere. Once the contaminants are transported to the rhizosphere they will be extracted by contaminant-accumulating plants which can concentrate contaminants from the soil into the harvestable parts of roots and above-ground shoots. Potential Commercial Applications of the Research: The development of this technology, if shown to be successful, will have a large potential commercial applications: (i) in remediation of mixed waste polluted soils (heavy metals, organics and radionuclides); (ii) in agriculture for remediation of sewage sludge amended soils and for removal of pesticides and other toxins fr om the rhizosphere zone, and (iii) as an innovative practice for nutrient and moisture transport and containment in dry soils. ***