Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Biosurfactant applications in the environmental industries are promising due to their biodegradability, low toxicity and effectiveness in enhancing biodegradation and solubilization of low solubility compounds. A variety of tests have been performed with regards to enhanced bioremediation, flushing and washing of soils and water contaminated with hydrocarbons and/or metals. Newer applications are related to enhancement of remediation techniques such as nanotechnology. Other industrial applications will be investigated such as related to the oil industry. For example, management of fine tailings from the oil sands is a major challenge. Densification of the tailings may take a century. Accelerating the fine tails sedimentation with these biodegradable agents could improve water reuse and pond reclamation. In addition, in an effort to enhance the economics of the process, in situ production of the biosurfactants will be studied and optimized. Oil spills have been considered to be one of the most challenging environmental issues to date. As natural cleanup processes are very slow, a number of cleanup techniques including mechanical, biological, and chemical based treatments have been practiced to control and minimize the negative impact of spills on the environment. The potential application of extracellular addition of biosurfactant sophorolipid (a new class of biosurfactants) on dispersion and biodegradation of oil-contaminated seawater will be investigated. In addition, in an effort to enhance the economics of the process, in situ production of the biosurfactants will be studied and optimized for this application also. Biosurfactants have also been used to remove heavy metals from soil and sediments. This work will be continued to evaluate the use of rhamnolipid for the removal and reduction of hexavalent chromium and another anionic contaminant, arsenic from mining residues by rhamnolipids. In addition it has been previously determined that the surfactants can be introduced in the form of foams. This enhanced the mobility of the surfactants through the soid. Nanomaterials are also being evaluated for the extraction or stabilization of metals within the contaminated solid media. Therefore a combination of foam injection with nanomaterials (metal oxides) will be evaluated to ensure the stability and facility mobility of the nanomaterials within the soil matrix. The objectives of the research will include: Evaluation of the effect of biosurfactants on oil sand tailings sedimentation, evaluation of the effect on oil spill dispersion, and evaluation of the effect of biosurfactants on nanoparticle applications. These approaches will lead to a better understanding of the applications of biosurfactants to remediate and protect the environment in an ecofriendly manner.