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Risk of the heavy fraction of petroleum hydrocarbons
The heavy fraction of petroleum hydrocarbons is not perceived to pose a great risk to human and environmental health due to their low bioavailability. However, large amounts have been accumulated by petroleum refineries and a sustainable waste disposal/treatment needs to be investigated. Biopiling is considered to degrade these compounds, but microbial degraders of the heavy fraction of petroleum hydrocarbons are not characterised and may not exist. Furthermore, a partial degradation may make these compounds more available for interaction with organisms and therefore more hazardous. This project is looking at the toxicity of highly weathered material of the heavy petroleum fraction before, during and after biopiling strategies. Toxicity tests such as earthworm survival, seed germination and luminescent bacterial biosensors will be used. The presence of degraders will also be assessed using MPN and PLFA techniques. Finally, 14C-labelled model compounds in laboratory experiments will enable to extrapolate their fate in the environment.
PhD-project (2001-2004): Enhanced bioremediation and monitoring of contaminated groundwater
An anaerobic aquifer contaminated with benzene was studied. Anaerobic enrichments were set up using aquifer sediments to look at the ability of the indigenous microflora to degrade benzene anaerobically. Additionally, a flow-through column system, reflecting in situ conditions, was designed to find an optimal treatment regime using hydrogen peroxide as oxygen supply and other alternative electron acceptors such as nitrate. The decrease in environmental toxicity in situ and in the laboratory column study was monitored using luminescent-based bacterial biosensors.
A shallow aquifer contaminated with chlorinated solvents was monitored using luminescence-based bacterial biosensors. Furthermore, microcosms were set up to look at contaminant attenuation over a simulated time of 7 years. Different remediation techniques were applied and compared.
publications:
J. Bellarby (nee Bhattacharyya), HonsBSc (Aberdeen)
Assessment of Remediation Strategies for Recalcitrant Pollutants (available as Adode PDF download)
A thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen in the year 2005
Bhattacharyya, J., Read, D., Amos, S., Dooley, S., Killham, K. and Paton, G.I. (2005). Biosensor-based diagnostics of contaminated groundwater: assessment and remediation strategy. Environmental Pollution 134, 485-492.
conferences:
BSSS Young Scientist Meeting April 2003 (London)
SETAC-UK Meeting September 2003 (Aberdeen)
SEB/SETAC Meeting March 2004 (Edinburgh)
ECOR-1, April 2004 (Göttingen)