Research Projects (Third party funds)

AMICO

Adaptation of Microbial Communities to Organic Contaminants in Oligotrophic Aquifers

AMICO EC project (Adaptation of Microbial Communities to Organic Contaminants in Oligotrophic Aquifers) was a consortium of nine European Labs. Code: QLK3-CT-2000-00731

Objectives: To explore the diversity, degradation capacity and resilience of the poorly known microbial communities in pristine and polluted subsurface aquifers, a comparison will be made between a set of logographic communities before and after exposure to a plume of pollutants. A combination of culture-dependent and -independent methods will reveal the functional and genetic characteristics of the communities involved in degradation of a selected range of contaminants (BTEX components) of the chosen aquifer. A detailed study of the genetic and physiological diversity, metabolic potential and adaptability in laboratory-scale model systems will demonstrate how the potential and performance of such communities may be optimised. This will eventually allow experimental manipulation of in-sit enhancement of bioremediation processes by making a rational use of the microbial diversity.

Groups

Funding agency

EU-Projects

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