Principal Investigator: Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics
Co-Investigators: Maureen Quin, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, Alptekin Aksan, Mechanical Engineering
Industrial Partner: Minnepura Technologies
This project is proposing to develop an advanced biocomposite material for the rapid, on-site sequestration and detoxification of heavy metals and organic pollutants via a sustainable bioremediation approach. This material will be adaptable to a range of remediation sites, including heavy metal (e.g. arsenic, cadmium, mercury) contaminated mine drainage streams typical in northern Minnesota, and agricultural soil treated with pesticides and fertilizers. Our material will be built from robust detoxifying “Biohubs” that will be encased in silica to create a stable, portable and reusable material for field-deployment in a range of mitigation systems (e.g. flow-through packed bed reactors, membrane reactors, stirred tank leach reactors).