Bioremediation Technology
One of the promising areas of environmental technologies is bioremediation. This is a complex of methods for cleaning water, soil and air (using the metabolic potential of biological objects - microorganisms, plants, fungi, insects, worms and other organisms. Bioremediation helps to return contaminated areas to their original state. Within the framework of bioremediation technologies, two key areas – biostimulation and bioaugmentation – demonstrate the possibilities of enhancing the decontamination process. The first ensures more effective decomposition of pollutants by endemic microorganisms due to the introduction of additional nutrients. The second involves the introduction of active strains-destructors into the environment to accelerate the decomposition of certain pollutants.
The Laboratory of Functional Ecology of the Institute of Fundamental Problems of Biology (IFPB RAS) carries out research and development of technologies for processing organic waste into fertile soils and composts.
Research interests and services provided by the Laboratory:
- Expert assessment of waste and conditions for its processing, evaluation of the possibility of obtaining useful and environmentally friendly products, such as compost and alike. The expert conclusions of IFPB RAS are accepted by Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare), the RF Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the RF judicial authorities and other agencies.
- Model production of substrates based on waste; development of technological regulations for production and technical conditions for products basing on the data obtained.
- Assessment of environmental and biological safety of final products based on data from physical and chemical studies in combination with the results of experiments on biological objects.
Biological test cultures used in the laboratory:
- The hydrobiont Dafnia magna Straus - a cladoceran crustacean used for biotesting water and soil extracts, sewage sludge and other waste, as well as ready-made organic fertilizers, composts and artificial soils.
- Manure (compost) worm Eisenia fetida for the study of various toxicants based on the international standard method of biotesting ISO 11268-2, as well as soil and substrate samples based on organic waste - composts, soils according to the own method modified at the Laboratory. An assessment of toxicity can be carried out based on the survival, mortality, growth and reproduction of earthworms for various substrates, as well as the selection of optimal proportions and the creation of physicochemical conditions that ensure the development and reproduction of worms.
- Use of higher plants in pot experiments: biotesting of water extracts and determination of phytotoxicity in short-term experiments - 5 days on watercress sprouts (Lepidium sativum); pot experiments in greenhouse conditions on various crops depending on the tasks, soils and substrates used.
Work experience
Biotechnological processing of wastewater at the municipal wastewater treatment plant to convert sludge into organic fertilizer by composting. Utilization of municipal wastewater treatment plant sludge (WSW) is a pressing global problem that has no universal solution other than incineration. Meanwhile, WSW contains up to 70% organic matter and thus can be considered an organic matter resource.
The technology includes several interrelated key links:
- Production of amino acid reagents
- Neutralization and disinfection of sludge with reagents and obtaining a non-toxic and environmentally friendly substrate - an organomineral composition
- Preparation of compost based on the organomineral composition
- Study and assessment of the toxicological and agrochemical properties of compost
The development of stages 2, 3, 4 of the technology is carried out by Laboratory staff.
Based on the results of the Laboratory's work, Patent No. 2457909 was received on the METHOD FOR PROCESSING SEWAGE SLUDGE.
Processing of food waste. As a result of participation in the project “Development of methodological principles for environmentally friendly processing of food waste to create high-quality fertile compost using climate chambers”, the Laboratory created methodological principles for processing food waste, determined technological conditions for obtaining organic and organo-mineral fertilizers, and developed recommendations for the use of composts, including for obtaining soil mixtures.
Contact Information Sevost2000@rambler.ru