Repository logo
 

GreenSTEM’s microbe technology is an efficient, effective, and affordable way to clean up fuel and chemical spills

Date

2019-03-05

Authors

Gillis, M.
Ramadan, R.
Boubakir, Z.
Repas, T.
Kaminskyj, S.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

ORCID

Type

Presentation

Degree Level

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbons are used as fuel and for chemical synthesis. If spilled, fuels and chemicals poison our soil and water, causing local environmental disasters. Bioremediation uses organisms to clean up (remediate) pollutants. We have isolated and characterized microbe strains from contaminated sites, and use them to remediate contaminated sites elsewhere. We identify our strains using their DNA sequences and their appearance. Some microbes, called fungal endophytes, form symbioses, in other words metabolic partnerships between a plant and a fungus. These symbioses have been shown to stimulate plant growth and root formation, even on contaminated soil. Surprisingly, some of our other microbes can degrade hydrocarbons underground, without plants. GreenSTEM has powerful technology: we use native microbes to degrade hydrocarbons and chemicals as they grow on the contaminants as food. Based on our progress to date with fuels and other chemicals, we anticipate isolating new strains specific for other intractable toxins.

Description

Keywords

Citation

Degree

Department

Program

Advisor

Committee

Citation

Part Of

Soils and Crops Workshop

item.page.relation.ispartofseries

DOI

item.page.identifier.pmid

item.page.identifier.pmcid