Project objectives:
The aim of this work is the development of a cost effective, rapid, portable analysis system for the measurement of bioavailable toxic metal or organic contaminants,
which may be present at natural attenuation landfill sites requiring remediation. The proposed system is intended to be used as a tool in the monitoring or characterisation
of a site by discrete measurement. A portable system will be developed, comprising a miniaturised extraction and separation device employing capillary electrophoresis,
detectors for specific analyses (metals or organics) by biosensors or immunosensors and dedicated instrumentation to process the signals generated. Development
of extraction procedures for the analysis of plant material will also be part of the project, to be used when phytoremediation is employed as part of the site
remediation process.
Biosensors to detect toxic metal will use bioengineered proteins to interact with bioavailable metals on an electrode surface. The conformational change
in the engineered protein will allow a specific metal to be detected. Extraction employing superheated water extraction and enzyme immunosensors will be
used to monitor organic pollutants (PAH's and PCB's).
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Project
Summary:
The aim of this work is to provide a cost effective, easily operated, rapid, and accurate, portable analysis method for monitoring the effects of bioremediation
on the soil, plant, groundwater, and surface water (leachate) surrounding a polluted site undergoing bioremediation. Toxic heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Zn,
Hg, Ni, and Pb) and organics (PCBs and PAHs) will be the target analytes. Risk assessment and the monitoring of pollution levels in environmentally hazardous
sites can then be performed quickly and cost effectively. This objective will be achieved using extraction, separation (capillary electrophoresis, CE,
and capillary electrochromatography, CEC), biosensors and microsystems technologies. Miniaturised extraction and separation devices will be fabricated
in plastic, and integrated with biosensors to form a portable analysis system. Connection to a prototype portable instrument will allow in-field measurements
of soil, plant, and water samples to be taken.
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Prof Paul Bardos