Design and Construction of Deinococcus radiodurans for Biodegradation of Organic Toxins at Radioactive DOE Waste Sites
Immense volumes of radioactive waste, generated from nuclear weapons production during the Cold War, were disposed directly to the ground. The current expense of remediating these polluted sites is driving the development of alternative remediation strategies using microorganisms. The bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans is the most radiation resistant organism known and can grow in highly irradiating (>60 Gray/h) environments (1). Numerous microorganisms (e.g., Pseudomonas sp.) have been described, and studied in detail, for their ability to transform and degrade a variety of organic pollutants (e.g., toluene), present at many radioactive DOE waste sites. Detoxification of the organic toxins at these sites is an important goal in remediating or stabilizing contaminated sites as well as preventing their further dissemination. The aim of this project is to engineer strains of D. radiodurans that are capable of degrading organic/aromatic hydrocarbons present in radioactive mixed waste sites--sites that contain mixtures of toxic organic compounds, radionuclides and heavy metals. Conventional bioremediating organisms are unable to survive at many of these sites because of their sensitivity to radiation. Generally, microorganisms are sensitive to the damaging effects of ionizing radiation, and most of the bacteria currently being studied as candidates for bioremediation are no exception. For example, Pseudomonas sp. is very sensitive to radiation (more sensitive than E. coli) and is not suited to remediate radioactive wastes. Therefore, radiation resistant microorganisms that can remediate toxic organic compounds need to be found in nature or engineered in the laboratory to address this problem.
- Research Organization:
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine; Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-97ER20293
- OSTI ID:
- 828369
- Report Number(s):
- EMSP-59786-1999; R&D Project: EMSP 59786; TRN: US0403945
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Jun 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Design and Construction of Deinococcus Radiodurans for Biodegradation of Organic Toxins at Radioactive DOE Waste Sites
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Related Subjects
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGANISMS AND BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREMEDIATION
CONSTRUCTION
DESIGN
DETOXIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
TOXINS
WASTES