|
Biological Treatment Processes Laboratory |
 |
| 850
Dow Environmental Sciences & Engineering |
The Biological
Treatment Processes Laboratory is dedicated to the examination of
the chemical and biological fate and treatment of metals and organic
chemicals found in aquatic and subsurface environments and in engineered
treatment and manufacturing systems. The purposes are to utilize biotechnology
for remediation of soil, groundwater, and aquatic sediments; improve
water quality (lakes, rivers, groundwater); and assist pollution prevention
efforts. The laboratory will provide information to:
- Optimize
the design and operation of wastewater treatment facilities used
by industry and municipalities. This will result in advanced removal
of nutrients (N, P), heavy metals, and organic chemicals. Utilize
biotechnology to assist industry in its pollution prevention efforts.
Examples include engineering microorganisms to assist bioleaching
of precious metals from ores and immobilizing organisms and their
enzymes to assist in metal recovery, degradation of toxic chemicals,
and chemical manufacturing.
- Develop
and test estimation methods, which require knowledge of a compound's
chemical structure, to predict the chemical and biological reactivity,
toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential of chemicals which are
discharged to treatment facilities, lakes and rivers, the atmosphere,
and soils. These estimation methods will assist industry in designing
"greener" processes as they will now be able to evaluate
the hazard potential of chemicals they either use in their manufacturing
process or produce.
- Engineer
more cost effective and efficient biological systems for bioremediation
of organic chemicals (fuel components, solvents, etc.) which have
contaminated soils, groundwater, and aquatic sediments. This includes
isolating microorganisms from various environments, determining
the feasibility of using them for engineered remediation, and
designing innovative remediation systems. This will also benefit
understanding of "intrinsic biodegradation" where microorganisms
are allowed to degrade organisms naturally, but at a slower rate,
than would be observed in an engineered system
|
| |
Michigan
Technological University
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, Michigan, 49931 - 1295, USA
Department Phone: 1-906-487-2520
Department Fax: 1-906-487-2943
Department E-mail: cee@mtu.edu
|