SERDP Federal Integrated Biotreatment Consortium
Goals and Approach

 

Technical Objectives

Primary Objective

  • Develop implementable, cost-effective bioremediation technologies.

    • Secondary Objectives

  • Produce at least one field ready biotreatment technology for each contaminent group

    •  (Explosives, High Molecular Weight PAHs, Chlorinated Solvents, PCBs).
  • Develop bioreactors that are better oriented towards contaminated soil, sediment,
    • and groundwater treatment.
  • Increase understanding of process mechanisms and limitations.

    • Technical Approach to Research Areas

    Explosives 
    POC: Jim Spain (USAF Armstrong Lab, Panama City, FL)

  • Degradation using plant based enzymes.
  • Enhance biodegradation using surfactants.
  • Anaerobic/aerobic consortia evaluation.
  • Engineer microorganisms.
  • Concurrent composting studies.
  • Metabolic pathway definition.

    • High Molecular Weight Polycyclic Aromatic
    Hydrocarbons (hPAHs)
    POC: Hap Pritchard (US NRL, Wahshington, D.C.)

  • Surfactant enhanced biodegradation.
  • Evaluation of candidate co-metabolites.
  • Evaluation of various isolates and consortia.
  • Cascading bioslurry approach.
  • Composting.

    • Chlorinated Solvents
    POC: Guy Sewell (RSKerr Laboratory, EP, Ada, OK)

  • Reductive anaerobic biodegradation.
  • Anaerobic bioactive treatment wall.
  • Aromatic induction agent optimization.
  • Aerobic degradation using constituitive organisms.

    • Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
    POC: Jim Tiedje (Michigan State University)

  • Anaerobic reductive dehalogenation.
  • Redox cycling.
  • Surfactant enhanced biodegradation.
  • Selection of co-metabolites.
  • Soil chemical matrix effects.
  • Evaluation of various isolates and consortia.

    •   

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    Updated December 1997