A bio-nano-enabled microcarrier for microplastic degradation

用于微塑料降解的生物纳米微载体

• 批准号: EP/Y016599/1
• 负责人: SWATI SHARMA
• 金额: $ 23.84万
• 依托单位: University of Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FY016599%2F1
• 关键词: bio; nano; enabled; microcarrier; microplastic

Globally, trillions of microplastics (MPs) are present in the environment, a result of excessive use and their chemical complexity and poor biodegradability. Although MP biodegradation may occur naturally, the rate of breakdown is too slow to reverse theiraccumulation. The problem is further compounded by their ability to act as carriers/vectors for other contaminants. A cost- and ecofriendly cleanup technique is thus urgently needed that can address the chemical complexity and diversity of MPs. ProjectBioNanoPlast aims to revolutionise MP remediation by developing an integrated setup, combining physio-chemical and biological tools to produce and implement a sustainable MPs bioremediation tool. BioNanoPlast would select a consortium of naturally occurring bacteria and optimize the microbial nutrient requirements aiming to increase their MPs degradation capacity and biosurfactant production ability. In order to overcome the difficulties associated with MPs biodegradation, such as biotoxicity at high concentrations and low bio-affinity, a photocatalyst-coated core-shell microcarrier will be used. The design of the microcarrier, which has microorganisms encapsulated in a hydrophilic core and separated by a hydrophobic shell, would improve the adhesion and adsorption of MPs. In order to protect bacteria from high MPs levels, the shell will also be covered with a photocatalyst. Ecotoxicity analysis will also be performed to determine if the proposed tool is compatible with the environment prior to its application in the field. This state-of-the art approach will produce a novel integrated system that allows bacteria to be near MPs without being exposed to their excessive concentration. As a result, the proposed effort will create a core-shell bio-nano-carrier that will be tested for its integrated bioremediation potential on a range of labeled MPs, thus demonstrating fully its capability and efficacy against the most common MPs (PE, PET, PS).

在全球范围内，环境中存在数万亿微塑料（MP），这是由于使用过度使用及其化学复杂性和差的生物降解性的结果。尽管MP生物降解可能自然发生，但分解速率太慢，无法扭转其资产。问题进一步加剧了它们作为其他污染物的载体/向量的能力。因此，迫切需要一种成本和环保的清理技术，可以解决MPS的化学复杂性和多样性。 ProjectBionAnoplast旨在通过开发集成的设置来彻底改变MP修复，并结合生理化学和生物学工具，以生产和实施可持续的MPS生物修复工具。 Bionanoplast将选择一个天然细菌的财团，并优化旨在提高其MPS降解能力和生物表面活性剂生产能力的微生物营养需求。为了克服与MPS生物降解相关的困难，例如高浓度的生物毒性和低生物亲和力，将使用光催化剂涂层的核心壳微载体。微生物的设计封装在亲水性核心中，并由疏水性壳隔开，将改善MPS的粘附和吸附。为了保护细菌免受高MPS水平的侵害，壳也将被光催化剂覆盖。还将执行生态毒性分析，以确定所提出的工具是否与环境在现场应用之前。这种最先进的方法将产生一种新型的集成系统，该系统使细菌可以接近MP，而不会暴露于其过度浓度。结果，拟议的努力将创建一个核心壳生物纳米载体，该载体将在一系列标记的MPS上对其综合生物修复潜力进行测试，从而完全证明其对最常见的MP（PE，PE，PET，PS）的能力和功效。