Development of a biosurfactant/nanotechnology approach for remediation of contaminated soils, sediments and water

许多化学物质，如疏水性有机污染物，包括多芳烃（PAHs），氯化有机溶剂，如四氯乙烯（PCE），多氯联苯（PCBs）和重金属，已经释放到土壤环境中，因此对地下水，土壤中的生物和接触土壤的人类构成风险。表面活性剂（表面活性剂），具有亲水性和疏水性部分的两亲性化合物，已显示出许多环境应用，包括通过土壤洗涤或冲洗去除污染物或增强生物降解过程。但是，为了提高经济可行性，仍然需要改进它们的性能。大多数关于生物表面活性剂的研究都是利用鼠李糖脂进行的。然而，为了提高效率和降低成本，未来需要研究新的生物表面活性剂以及作为可持续的、可再生的纳米颗粒生产和使用添加剂的新应用。鼠李糖脂和包括皂苷在内的其他生物表面活性剂已显示出其修复污染土壤和水的潜力。鼠李糖脂等生物表面活性剂具有可生物降解性和低毒性，在修复技术中具有广阔的应用前景。这需要进一步研究。需要进一步研究预测它们在污染物的命运和运输中的行为。还需要对生物表面活性剂对碳氢化合物和重金属的增溶机制进行更多的研究，以便对运输和修复进行模型预测。虽然没有广泛的研究，但由于纳米颗粒的高比表面积，它们对环境中的污染物具有高度的反应性。研究的目标包括：评估生物表面活性剂对纳米颗粒生产的影响，评估生物表面活性剂对纳米颗粒应用的影响，开发纳米颗粒/生物表面活性剂系统的应用，评估纳米颗粒/生物表面活性剂系统的命运和运输，以及开发产品的现场测试。

Numerous chemicals such as hydrophobic organic contaminants including polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated organic solvents such as tetrachlorethylene (PCE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals, have been released in to the soil environment and are thus a risk to groundwater, to organisms in the soil and to humans contacting the soil. Surface active agents (surfactants), amphiphilic compounds with hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions, have shown many environmental applications including removal of contaminants through soil washing or flushing or enhancement of biodegradation processes. However, improvements in their performances are still required to enhance economic feasibility. Most research on biosurfactants has been performed on the use of rhamnolipids. However, future studies on new biosurfactants and new applications as sustainable, renewable additives for nanoparticle production and use are needed to enhance efficiencies and decrease costs. Rhamnolipids and other biosurfactants including saponin have shown their potential for remediation of contaminated soil and water. Due to their biodegradability and low toxicity, biosurfactants such as rhamnolipids are very promising for use in remediation technologies. This needs to be studied further. Further research regarding prediction of their behaviour in the fate and transport of contaminants will be required. More investigation into the solubilization mechanism of both hydrocarbons and heavy metals by biosurfactants is also required to enable model predictions for transport and remediation. Although not extensively studied, due to the high specific surface area of the nanoparticles, they are highly reactive towards contaminants in the environment. The objectives of the research will include: Evaluation of the effect of biosurfactants on nanoparticle production, evaluation of the effect of biosurfactants on nanoparticle applications and development of applications for nanoparticle/biosurfactant systems, evaluation of the fate and transport of nanoparticle/biosurfactant systems and field testing of the developed products.