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Bioremediation: The current and the future. Graeme Paton Technical Director, Remedios Diarmuid O’Sullivan Senior Environmental Consultant. Bioremediation.
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Bioremediation:The current and the future Graeme Paton Technical Director, Remedios Diarmuid O’Sullivan Senior Environmental Consultant
Bioremediation • “ The act of stimulating the metabolism or co-metabolism of contaminants in the natural environment. Can be ex-situ, in-situ or involve natural attenuation” • 6 months - 3 years (ex-situ usually quicker)
Endoenzyme Exoenzyme ?? Extracellular enzymes Exoenzyme Endoenzyme Dimers Oxidation Monomers CO2 Cell ½ O2 H2O Decomposition of biopolymers
Tool Kit • 3 components • Induction • Constraints • Community
Induction • Catabolic biosensors enable a prediction of the bioavailability of the target molecule in that matrix • Hence if the genes for degradation are in the matrix, degradation is very likely
Tool Kit • 3 components • Induction • Constraints • Community
Procedure for lux-based assay 100 % % of the control luminescence 10 % Increasing toxicity
Tool Kit • 3 components • Induction • Constraints • Community
MPN- Tetrazolium Paton et al 2003
Tool Kit- at oil spill Toxicity Induction mpn TPH
Kuwait Oil Lake- Oil spill 2 • During the first Gulf war (1990-1991) 50 million tonnes of soil was contaminated • Air-borne oily material contaminated one thousand square kilometres of soil.
Can we predict? Bioremediation (f) [TPH] (f) availability (f) degraders (f) constraints Induction x [TPH] mpn x (1-EC) BF=
Prediction Once all of the data have been integrated an estimation of the likely case for degradation can be made Iroegbu et al., 2003
TPH Week 0 Week 15
Prediction • There is a close relationship between the predicted value and the actual hydrocarbon concentration. • This could define the end-point • Regular monitoring confirmed the progress of this work • This has been extended to over twenty trials to assess the value of the data
Prediction Max specific deg rate mg TPH/ day Bioremediation Factor
Prediction Max specific deg rate mg TPH/ day Bioremediation Factor
The Big Issues On four occasions we have been required to seed/ augment a biological treatment process. This is a growing issue and a commercial opportunity.
Pre-condition Nutrients Inoc. Source Substrate 1, 2, 3, 4 Remedios Soil Solution Bioaugmentation Agents
What does this mean? Oil Technics- cfu= 108; mpn- 107 Supplier 1- cfu= 106; mpn- 104 Supplier 2- cfu= 106; mpn- 105 Supplier 3- cfu= 104; mpn- 103 Oil Technics and precondition- cfu= 109; mpn- 107 Supplier 1 and precondition- cfu= 108; mpn- 105 Supplier 2 and precondition- cfu= 107; mpn- 106 Supplier 3 and precondition- cfu= 105; mpn- 103
Respiration Respiration Days
Degradation TPH Days
Prediction Max specific deg rate mg TPH/ day Bioremediation Factor
Prediction Max specific deg rate mg TPH/ day Bioremediation Factor
What does this mean • Augmentation is possible • Steps are required to refine • Immobilisation of wood is not ideal • Cost issues and value of application need to be considered • Need to focus and develop the skill-base