The field of environmental microbiology has taken a quantum leap through developments in molecular biology such as high-throughput multiplex sequencing, high-density microarrays, and environmental proteomics; these technologies provide a deluge of information on the nature and function of microbial communities in natural systems. Importantly, many of these systems are relevant to such pressing issues as contaminant remediation and subsurface sequestration of carbon dioxide.
The lecturer will introduce the audience to the amazing world of subsurface microorganisms and present some novel approaches for incorporating new knowledge and data into reactive transport simulations. Particular focus will be given to genome-scale models of microbial cell function, and how these models are being integrated into simulations of contaminant transport and fate in groundwater systems. These will be presented in the context of the application of in situ bioremediation that aims to immobilize uranium in groundwater through microbially mediated metal reduction.
1.5 CEPs