Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Queen's University
$76,800.00
Characterization of organic constituent biodegradation
EF 2007-08
Résumé
This proposal requests an automated CHNS/O elemental analyzer with solid and liquids state analysis capabilities, which is essential and urgently needed to support the innovative environmental research programs of seven investigators. The research projects of these investigators have as a common theme the "characterization of organic constituent biodegradation". More specifically, these include (i) characterization of biomass feedstocks and process intermediates utilized in the recovery of value-added products, specifically bio-energy and bio-products; (ii) characterization of carbon and energy substrate sources employed in the application of microbiological processes; (iii) determination of the fate and behaviour of organic constituents in passive treatment systems and aquatic environments; (iv) evaluation of the potential for anaerobic biodegradation of organic contaminants using nitrate and sulphate as terminal electron acceptors; and (v) assessment of the purity of biodegradable biocompatible elastomeric polymers accumulated by bacteria. Due to the nature of the environmental systems surveyed, these projects typically involve the collection of numerous water, sediment and biological samples for which carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen and/or hydrogen contents or ratios are required. Elemental analysis can provide a relatively rapid and inexpensive measure of these elements compared to other analytical methods. However, we do not have access to equipment which will meet our current and future needs. Consequently, samples have generally been sent to external laboratories, but this alternative has resulted in increasingly high analytical costs and significant delays in research progress. Hence, this can impact the overall quality of the work accomplished in these innovative environmental research projects. We anticipate that at least 51 HQP (22 MSc, 14 PhD, 2 PDF and 13 UG) will benefit from the use of the requested elemental analyzer over the next 5 years based on our current research activities.
Programme
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Ontario, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
Tel que publié
Application id
360251-2008
Name nom
Champagne, Pascale
Department département
Civil Engineering
Organization id
29
Institution établissement
Queen's University
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2007
Competition year année de concours
2008
Award amount
76800
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1062
Committee name en
Civil Engineering - B
Committee name fr
Génie civil - B
Area of application code
400
Area of application group en
Environment
Area of application group fr
Environnement
Area of application en
Environment
Area of application fr
Environnement
Research subject code
1502
Research subject group en
Environmental engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie de l'environnement
Research subject en
Waste water treatment
Research subject fr
Traitement des eaux usées
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Characterization of organic constituent biodegradation
Keyword
NA
Application summary
This proposal requests an automated CHNS/O elemental analyzer with solid and liquids state analysis capabilities, which is essential and urgently needed to support the innovative environmental research programs of seven investigators. The research projects of these investigators have as a common theme the "characterization of organic constituent biodegradation". More specifically, these include (i) characterization of biomass feedstocks and process intermediates utilized in the recovery of value-added products, specifically bio-energy and bio-products; (ii) characterization of carbon and energy substrate sources employed in the application of microbiological processes; (iii) determination of the fate and behaviour of organic constituents in passive treatment systems and aquatic environments; (iv) evaluation of the potential for anaerobic biodegradation of organic contaminants using nitrate and sulphate as terminal electron acceptors; and (v) assessment of the purity of biodegradable biocompatible elastomeric polymers accumulated by bacteria. Due to the nature of the environmental systems surveyed, these projects typically involve the collection of numerous water, sediment and biological samples for which carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen and/or hydrogen contents or ratios are required. Elemental analysis can provide a relatively rapid and inexpensive measure of these elements compared to other analytical methods. However, we do not have access to equipment which will meet our current and future needs. Consequently, samples have generally been sent to external laboratories, but this alternative has resulted in increasingly high analytical costs and significant delays in research progress. Hence, this can impact the overall quality of the work accomplished in these innovative environmental research projects. We anticipate that at least 51 HQP (22 MSc, 14 PhD, 2 PDF and 13 UG) will benefit from the use of the requested elemental analyzer over the next 5 years based on our current research activities.
