| ARI Project: 07-02-019 | Funding Round:
Round 8 (2006-2007)
| Start Date:
02/06/2007
| Status:
Active
|
|
Dual Detoxification of Mercury and 2, 4-D by Microorganisms |
| ARI Member Campus: |
California State University, Fresno
|
| Research Focus Area: |
Natural Resources
|
| Project Personnel: |
Director: Wright, Alice, College of Science & Math
Department of Biology
California State University, Fresno
Co-Investigator: Rawat, Mamta, Department of Biology California State University, Fresno
|
| ARI Allocation:
|
$108,024.00
|
| Match Donors: |
$17,452.00 - College of Science and Mathematics
$11,000.00 - DowAgro Sciences
$6,500.00 - LS-AMP
$28,534.00 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
$29,538.00 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
|
| Total Funding: |
$201,048.00
|
|
| Project Objective: |
(1) Examine growth of microorganisms in defined media containing mercury and 2,4-D in varying proportions.
(2) Examine the effects of dual contamination at the level of transcriptional regulation by measuring gene expression.
(3) Measure concomitant mercury detoxification and 2,4-D degradation in soil slurries to show that the studies reflect actual processes that occur in the soil.
|
|
| Project Abstract: |
Dually contaminated soils, soils contaminated with metals and organics, are considered difficult to remediate because of the dissimilar nature of the contaminants. This study examines the potential of microorganisms for bioremediation of contaminated soils, specifically soils co-contaminated with mercury and the herbicide, 2, 4-D. Many organisms are known to degrade 2, 4-D and, likewise, others are known to detoxify mercury. One noteworthy example of an organism that detoxifies both mercury and 2,4-D is the archetypal 2,4-D degrader, Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 which possesses genes for not only the 2,4-D degradation pathway but also mercury detoxification. We propose to study the effects of mercury and 2,4-D individually and the effects of mercury and 2,4-D jointly on the growth of Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 and various gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria 2,4-D degraders. To determine if the phenotypic differences are the result of changes in gene expression of proteins involved in 2, 4-D degradation and mercury detoxification, transcriptional analysis of representative genes in these two pathways will be assessed with real-time PCR. Finally, to confirm that similar processes are occurring in the soil, we will measure concomitant mercury and 2, 4-D detoxification in soil slurries. This study will provide valuable information about the bioremediation of soils co-contaminated with mercury and 2,4-D and will also provide insight into the nature of detoxification processes in soils contaminated with multiple pollutants.
|
|
| Related Documents: |
None at this time.
|