CAREER: Anaerobic Degadation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Marine Harbor Sediments

9984285普利亚姆全息多环芳烃(PAHs)往往与沉积物中的有机物质密切相关，而沉积物通常是厌氧的。多环芳烃在这些沉积物中的广泛分布导致了对多环芳烃污染沉积物的有效、经济有效的修复方法的需要。简单芳烃的好氧降解已经得到了很好的表征，近年来，已有一些研究报道了简单多环芳烃的厌氧降解，如萘和菲(分别为2环和3环)。到目前为止，还没有研究证明4-环和5-环多环芳烃的厌氧生物降解，如芘和苯并[a]芘。这项研究将研究从被多环芳烃严重污染的海洋港口沉积物中分离出的微生物对多环芳烃的厌氧降解。研究目标包括分离和表征具有厌氧多环芳烃降解潜力的自然微生物，阐明多环芳烃生物降解的代谢途径及其重要酶，开发独特的生物传感器，在实验室和现场快速监测多环芳烃的降解潜力和活性，使用小型生物反应器研究复杂混合物中的厌氧多环芳烃降解，并开发数学模型来预测生物反应器中多环芳烃的降解速度和程度。研究结果将为含高相对分子质量多环芳烃的港口沉积物净化工艺的工程设计提供指导。教育计划有三个组成部分。首先，这项研究将被整合到PI开发的高级本科生和研究生课程中。本课程的重点是为需要跨学科方法的复杂环境问题设计创新的解决方案。其次，PI将设计一个厌氧多环芳烃降解反应器，该反应器将整合这项研究的结果，并允许在本科化学工程实验室中引入和评估工艺安全。第三，国际学生联合会将开展为期一天的研讨会，目标是女性和其他代表性不足的少数族裔初中生和高中生。这些研讨会的目标将是向当地学校的学生介绍适用于附近切萨皮克湾的环境研究。***

9984285 Pulliam Holoman Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) tend to associate strongly with organic matter in sediments, which are normally anaerobic. The widespread distribution of PAHs in these sediments has led to the need for efficient, cost-effectifve methods for the remediation of PAH-contaminated sediments. Aerobic degradation of simple aromatic hydrocarbons has been well characterized, and in recent years, a few studies investigating the anaerobic degradation of simple PAHs such as naphthalene and phenanthrene (2 rings and 3 rings, respectively) have been reported. To date, no studies have demonstrated the anaerobic biodegration of 4- and 5-ring PAHs, such as pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene. This research will investigate the anaerobic degradation of PAHs by microorganisms isolated from marine harbor sediments that have been heavily contaminated with PAHs. The research objectives include isolation and characterization of naturally-occurring microbes with anaerobic PAH-degradative potential, elucidation of the metabolic pathways of PAH biodegradation and its important enzymes, development of unique biosensors for rapid monitoring of PAH degradation potential and activity, both in the laboratory and in situ, the use of bench-scale bioreactors to study anaerobic PAH degradation in complex mixtures and the development of mathematical models to predict the rate and extent of PAH degradation in the bioreactors.. The results of this research will provide guidance for the engineering design of processes to decontaminate harbor sediments containing high molecular weight PAHs. The educational plan has three components. First, the research will be integrated into a combined senior-level undergaduate and graduate course that the PI has developed. The course focuses on the design of innovative solutions to complex environmental problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Second, the PI will design an anaerobic PAH-degradation reactor that will integrate the results of this research as well as allow process safety to be introduced and evaluated in the undergraduate chemical engineering laboratory. Third, the PI will develop one-day workshop seminars to target female and other underrepresented minority middle and high school students. The goal of these workshops will be to introduce students from local schools to environmental research applied to the nearby Chesapeake Bay. ***