SBIR Phase I: Bioremediation of N-nitrosodimethylamine in Groundwater

这个小型企业第一阶段项目是开发一种生物修复技术，用于处理被N-亚硝基二甲胺(NDMA)污染的地下水。NDMA是一种强有力的致癌物质，也是美国一种新兴的地下水污染物。因此，加利福尼亚州已确定饮用水中NDMA的可接受水平仅为20 ng/L。目前处理NDMA的技术，如紫外线照射和碳吸附，在将污染物去除到所需水平方面昂贵和/或无效。环境激素科学家最近发现了一种细菌菌株，它能够在第二种底物(即通过共代谢)上生长期间代谢NDMA。这种细菌是为数不多的已知的能降解NDMA的菌株之一。在这个第一阶段项目的过程中，将检测该微生物和其他具有类似广谱氧化酶酶的细菌菌株对NDMA的生物降解。最有效的培养物(S)将被接种到生物反应器中，这些菌株修复地下水中NDMA的能力将被量化。此外，还将测试通过共基质应用来刺激受污染含水层中的特定微生物降解NDMA的潜力。该项目的商业应用是在与市政饮用水供应有关的废水处理领域。预计这项核心技术还将在工业和军事上得到更多应用。

This Small Business Phase I Project is to develop a bioremediation technology for treating groundwater contaminated with N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). NDMA is a potent carcinogen and an emerging groundwater contaminant in the United States. Accordingly, the State of California has established an acceptable level in drinking water for NDMA of only 20 ng/L. Current technologies for treating NDMA, such as ultraviolet irradiation and carbon adsorption, are expensive and/or ineffective for removing the contaminant to required levels. Envirogen scientists have recently discovered a bacterial strain that is capable of metabolizing NDMA during growth on a second substrate (i.e., by co-metabolism). This bacterium is one of only a few strains that are known to degrade NDMA. In the course of this Phase I project, the biodegradation of NDMA by this organism andby other bacterial strains possessing similar broad specificity oxidase enzymes will be examined. The most effective culture(s) will be seeded into bioreactors and the abilities of these strains to remediate NDMA in groundwater will be quantified. In addition, the potential tostimulate specific microorganisms in contaminated aquifers to degrade NDMA by cosubstrate application will be tested. The commercial application of this project is in the area of wastewater treatment linked to municipal drinking water supplies. Additional industrial and military uses of the core technology are also expected.