Microseeps Awarded DOE Research Grant

Microseeps scientists Dr. Robert J. Pirkle and Dr. Pat McLoughlin have received funding for their proposal entitled “Use of Electron Shuttles to Biologically Enhance Abiotic Dechlorination”. The funding was provided by the Westinghouse Savannah River Company supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. "In kind" contributions of labor were made by Microseeps.

Through the use of a multi-pronged approach the proposal seeks to investigate abiotic remediation through:

• use of microcosm experiments to test a remediation scheme that would exploit the natural oxidative power of the ground water system to degrade chlorinated solvent contamination.
• development of a sampling and preservation system for acetylene, the ultimate product of this abiotic degradation.
• establishment of a cost-effective analysis that provides documentation of the concentration and role of natural electron shuttles and directs engineered solutions employing electron shuttles.

The research effort will be carried out over a twenty four month span and results will ultimately be presented in the peer-reviewed literature. The program is part of DOE’s Alternative Monitored Natural Attenuation/Enhanced Attenuation for Chlorinated Solvents Technology Alternative Project.

Dr. Brian B. Looney of SRNL, who coordinates the technical aspects of the research program, says that this effort was funded “because it creatively examines abiotic degradation of chlorinated solvents – recent literature and site data suggest that abiotic processes may measurably contribute to natural attenuation in some settings and may provide opportunities for sustainable enhancement.” According to Dr. Looney, “Microseeps and their research partners proposed a logical and well organized set of experiments to provide insight into abiotic degradation along with potential tools to quantify such processes.”

Microseeps, Inc. is a recognized leader in the development of specialized analytical methods to support Monitored Natural Attenuation and other in-situ remediation techniques. Microseeps has developed new methods and overcome several technical challenges for performing geochemical analyses on soils and ground water at sites worldwide. Microseeps continues to develop new technologies for the assessment of the in-situ degradation of subsurface contaminants. Microseeps is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.