Project 5 – Microencapsulation Delivery Vehicles for the Implementation of Precision Bioremediation at PAH-Contaminated Superfund Sites

Project Leaders

Trainees

Objective and Importance of Research

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous and toxic contaminants and are often challenging to clean up. Conventional clean-up methods such as soil excavation or dredging are expensive, and can impact local ecosystems. Bioremediation using local, introduced, and altered microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, holds promise as a lower impact alternative. This project will build on previous work to study strategies to improve the long-term survival of introduced microorganisms (by developing microcapsules) and their effectiveness at breaking down PAHs. The project will also investigate the chemicals formed from degrading PAHs and any unintended impacts they may have on other contaminants on site such as metals.

Novel Aspects of Research

Develop a framework for the design of microcapsules to aid implementation of precision bioremediation. Microcapsules should:

• Provide an efficient delivery system of microorganisms to contaminated sediment
• Help protect microorganisms from attack or infection
• Better attract organic contaminants due to the composition of the microcapsule material
• Allow the microorganisms may form biofilms within the microcapsules which can help with persistence, survival, and genetic exchange

Project Aims

1. Optimize microcapsule synthesis for delivery to soil/sediment sites, sorption of target PAHs, and growth/function of encapsulated microbes.
2. Develop site-specific encapsulated microbial consortia of PAH degraders and compare to pure cultures for PAH degradation.
3. Investigate unintended impacts of the microencapsulated bioaugmentation strategy through evaluation of PAH degradation products and geochemical transformations of co-contaminant metals in Superfund-relevant conditions

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