Heterotrophic Degradation of and Bioaugmentation for Emerging Trace Contaminants in Wastewater Treatment

本提案的主要目标是识别和表征活性污泥中能够在低浓度下生物降解新出现的微量污染物（ETCs）的微生物，并为现有的废水处理系统开发一种生物强化工艺，以去除废水中的ETCs。在过去的几十年里，出现了许多与水生环境中的ETC有关的生态问题。作为主要的环境来源，ETC的去除是目前污水处理设施面临的主要挑战之一。许多研究检查了处理过程中ETCs的命运，表明生物降解有助于ETCs的转化。虽然已经证实存在可以在ETCs上异养生长的微生物，但它们在极低浓度下生长和促进ETCs降解的能力尚未得到充分探索。本研究将结合先进的分析化学、微生物学和分子生物学方法，研究废水处理中ETCs的异养降解。本研究的最终目标是为现有的生物处理过程开发一种生物增强方法，通过解决以下假设来增强ETC的去除：活性污泥中的微生物能够降解低浓度的ETCs。2. 代谢降解活性在环境浓度下表达。3. 异养降解有助于观察到的ETCs WTF损失。4. 微生物降解微量化合物的能力也可以利用其他有机物生长，这将使生物增强工程能够在使用危害较小的化合物生长的基础上进行。该项目具有潜在的变革性，因为将开发一种针对特定ETCs降解的生物增强方法，以调查和设计生物质添加过程，以实现已颁布的目标排放限制。直接的教育效益包括研究生的培养和本科生研究人员的参与。通过与华盛顿大学工程学院多样性办公室的持续合作，建立项目，增加代表性不足群体的参与。

CBET- 0829132FergusonThe principal objectives of this proposal are to identify and characterize microbes in activated sludge that are capable of biodegrading emerging trace-contaminants (ETCs) at low concentrations, and develop a bioaugmentation process for existing wastewater treatment systems to remove ETCs from wastewater. In the last decades many ecological concerns have arisen related to ETC in aquatic environments. As a primary environmental source, ETC removal is one of the main challenges currently facing wastewater treatment facilities. Many studies examining the fate of ETCs in treatment processes suggest that biologic degradation contributes to transformations of ETCs. While the existence of microbes that can grow heterotrophically on ETCs has thus been confirmed, their ability to grow and contribute to ETCs degradation at the extreme low-concentrations has not been fully explored. In this proposed study, advanced analytical chemistry, microbiology and molecular biology methods will be combined to study the heterotrophic degradation of ETCs in wastewater treatment. The ultimate goal of the research is to develop a bioaugmentation approach for existing biologic treatment processes that will enhance ETC removal by addressing the following hypotheses: 1. Microbes presented in activated sludge are capable of degrading ETCs at low concentrations. 2. Metabolic degradative activity is expressed at environmental concentrations of ETCs. 3. Heterotrophic degradation contributes to observed losses in WTF of ETCs. 4. The ability of microbes that degrade trace-level compounds to also grow using other organics will allow bioaugmentation engineering based on growth with less hazardous compounds. This project is potentially transformative in that a method of bioaugmentation for specific ETCs degradation will be developed to investigate and design processes for biomass addition to achieve targeted effluent limitations, as they are promulgated. Direct educational benefits include the training of graduate students, and participation of undergraduate researchers. Increased participation by underrepresented groups will be realized through established program through continued partnership with the University of Washington, College of Engineering Office of Diversity.