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The Development of a Heavy Metal Bioremediation System

AJAS · 2019 Environmental Engineering (inferred)

Braden Milford · Oklahoma Academy of Science

Overview

Heavy metal contamination in the environment, specifically in aquatic systems, has been a top concern for nearly 100 years. This heavy metal contamination is found at nearly every one of the estimated 500,000 abandoned mine sites in the United States. Of these mine sites, less than 1% are actively funded for cleanup by the EPA, and these cleanup methods cost $300 million annually. This project seeks to develop an efficient, low cost, and sustainable method for heavy metal bioremediation through five phases. First, two EPA Superfund mine sites are studied to determine the concentration of heavy metals at different points along contaminated streams, in addition to collecting water samples to be used in Phase 2, which consists of identifying unique morphologies of bacteria found in the water samples and isolating them to be used in a bioremediation system. The isolates are then screened for heavy metal resistance and successful formation of biofilms in high concentrations of heavy metals. This screening process narrows down the original sample of 250 isolated bacteria to a final group of 24 isolates, which are identified in Phase 4 with the 16S Ribosomal Subunit Analysis. The 16S Ribosomal Subunit Analysis sequences the 16S Gene of the bacteria, and the sequences of each isolate's gene are uploaded to the BLAST Database and matched for similarity with previously identified bacteria. The identified bacteria are then grouped by genera and partnered with algae in a sodium alginate bead to serve as the heavy metal remediation system. In preliminary testing, the majority of the bioremediation systems removed over 80% of the heavy metal concentration of seven heavy metals within a two week test period. This success rate combined with the low impact design and the low cost of the system ($10 for 600 individual beads) present this system as having great potential for further development and eventual implementation into the environment.

Competition history

  • AJAS 2019 Category not listed

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Source: AAAS Annual Meeting (Confex) / American Junior Academy of Science

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