Chromium Remediation and Recovery Using Microbial Fuel Cell Technology

CBET-0826198 Nealson这项建议涉及应用微生物燃料电池(MFC)技术来去除铬(Cr)，铬是一种致癌金属，通常存在于受污染地区的土壤和含水层中，如棕地或超级基金地点。与现有的处理技术相比，建议的方法具有独特的优势，它将利用MFC阴极室中Shewanella的金属还原能力，通过还原沉淀去除可溶的和可移动的Cr(VI)物种，同时向系统提供补充电能。PI实验室的初步研究表明，原型系统能够有效地减少和去除溶液中的六价铬物种。该提案将开发一种微生物燃料电池，利用能够还原六价铬的微生物在阴极室内形成不溶解的沉淀物。这项研究将有助于更好地了解金属还原细菌对六价铬物种的还原能力和生物途径。这项研究的结果也可能推广到其他污染物。到目前为止，MFC技术的应用重点一直是利用阳极室内的微生物群处理废水。将MFC应用于重金属修复将在燃料电池生物电极和MFC建模方面产生新的研究途径。这项研究将使人们更好地了解金属还原细菌(MRB)的金属还原能力和生物学途径。希瓦氏菌属的成员将被用作我们的模式生物，因为将被利用的菌株的基因组已经被测序。这将在未来的基因组和蛋白质组研究中具有重要意义；有关金属还原途径和功能的发现可以扩展到其他MRB物种和群落。这项研究的结果也可能扩展到其他污染物，如砷、铀和氚。拟议的MFC技术的开发将提供非常有益和可取的跨学科合作，重点是保护环境和公众健康。除了是金属修复和回收的有效工具外，拟议的MFC系统的开发对于普通受众和多学科的学生来说都将是一个令人兴奋的教育工具

CBET- 0826198NealsonThis proposal involves the application of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for the removal of chromium (Cr), a carcinogenic metal commonly found in the soils and aquifers of polluted locations, such as brownfield or Superfund sites. The proposed approach has unique advantages over the existing treatment techniques it would capitalize on the metal reducing capabilities of Shewanella in the cathode compartment of a MFC to remove the soluble and mobile Cr (VI) species through reductive precipitation while providing supplemental electrical energy to the system. Preliminary studies in the PI's lab have demonstrated the ability of prototype systems to effectively reduce and remove hexavalent chromium species from solution. The proposal will develop a microbial fuel cell to use organisms capable of reducing hexavalent chromium to form an insoluble precipitate within the cathode compartment. The research will result in a greater understanding of the metal reducing ability and biological pathways in metal reducing bacteria for hexavalent chromium species. The results of this study may be also extended to other pollutants. Until now, the focus of applied MFC technology has been wastewater treatment by microbial consortia in the anodic compartment. Application of MFCs to heavy metal remediation will yield new avenues of research with respect to fuel cell biocathodes and MFC modeling. This research will result in a greater understanding of the metal reducing ability and biological pathways found in metal reducing bacteria (MRB). Members of the Shewanella genus will be used as our model organisms because the genomes of strains to be utilized have already been sequenced. This will be of great importance in future genomic and proteomic studies; discoveries regarding metal reduction pathways and functionality can be extended to other MRB species and communities. The results of this study may be also extended to other pollutants such as arsenic, uranium, and technetium. Development of the proposed MFC technology will provide highly beneficial and desirable interdisciplinary collaboration focusing on protecting the environment and public health. In addition to being an effective tool for metal remediation and recovery, the development of the MFC system as proposed would be an exciting educational tool for both general audiences and students of multiple disciplines