Research project NANOKAT
Biocatalysts for the treatment of MTBE/ETBE contaminated water
Partners: (all from GER)
- TU Dresden - Institute for Materials Science (IfWW)
- TU Dresden - Institute of Genetics (IFG)
- Company GMBU e.V.
- Working group "Functional Coatings" Dresden
- Company AMykor GmbH Wolfen
- Company Namos GmbH Dresden
Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Duration: May 2006 - October 2009
Contact: Dr. Axel Fischer
Project description:
The aim of the project is to develop a novel filter material that enables degradation of MTBE/ETBE by using biological mechanisms. The filter material is a nanoscale ceramic-like biocomposite material - a so-called BIOCER. The BIOCER material consists of the ceramic support structure and microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts) embedded in it. The material is designed to enable enhanced natural attenuation of MTBE and ETBE as water contaminants to be purified.
Supporting the biodegradation by the microorganisms, the BIOCER support structures should obtain acidic groups for the catalytic conversion of MTBE and ETBE and also be endowed with adsorption properties for these target contaminants. This would combine three functions in a nanostructured ceramic catalyst: controlled adsorption and desorption of MTBE/ETBE in a porous matrix, catalytic abiotic transformation of MTBE/ETBE, biological transformation of MTBE/ETBE.
Significant work carried out at the IAA to date has focused on isolating the most effective microbial strains for MTBE/ETBE degradation and investigating the suitability of different growth materials. In the laboratory experiments performed, the degradation performance of a mixed culture was compared with the degradation performance of two pure bacterial cultures (UFZ strain L108 and Mycobacterium austroafricanum) for the substances MTBE, ETBE and their degradation product TBA, both as a single substance and in a mixture. Three different growth materials were compared with respect to their influence on the degradation performance: PE packing, BIOCER packing (Sol-Gel Molith), activated carbon. Additional experiments served to elucidate limiting effects due to low oxygen concentration.
Furthermore, the characterization of abiotic degradation using acid catalysts and the investigation of the combination of abiotic and biotic degradation of MTBE were carried out.