REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS, MICROBIAL ORGANISMS AND PARTICULATES FROM DRINKING WATER USING A NATURAL MATERIAL

摘要

The goal of this project is to investigate an economically viable “green technology” based on cactus mucilage for remediation of water systems. The cactus mucilage has been shown to be an effective flocculant that separates particulates and heavy metals from contaminated water. The current needs of water treatments include the remediation of pollutants (i.e., metals and ionic species) that may leach after antifouling or antioxidant coatings are applied to protect the surface of ship vessels. Cactus mucilage has tremendous potential for being a cost-effective, in situ treatment technology for these environmental problems at navy bases and ship operations. Mucilage may also be used to treat sediments in estuarine or marine ecosystems that act both as a pollutant sink and as a carrier and future source of contaminants. Molecular biology-based methods will be employed to investigate the impact of mucilage on the removal of pathogenic bacteria from contaminated water and microbial bioprocesses associated with distinct microbial populations in natural and contaminated sediments.