The field of environmental engineering is faced with the remediation of soil and groundwater that have been contaminated with toxic organic compounds. Remediation methods would prioritize techniques that destroy the compounds instead of merely shifting them to another medium. Bioremediation, the degradation of such compounds by micro-organisms, is a method that is being chosen for soil and groundwater remediation with increasing frequency. Bioremediation is an interdisciplinary field, requiring individuals who have received training in both microbial physiology and ecology, as well as in engineering. This project is directed at preparing students to be able to design engineered systems that provide micro-organisms with engineered conditions that are conducive to the biodegradation of toxic organic compounds. The emphasis in the class on Bioremediation Engineering is on the analysis of microbial kinetics and application of laboratory kinetic studies to full- scale design. Biodegradation rates in aerobic environments are measured with a respirometer because of simplicity of operation and automatic data collection capability of the respirometer. Biodegradation rates in anaerobic environments are also investigated. A microscope is employed to demonstrate microbial morphology. The impact of the project is the training of a large number of individuals with a bachelor of science in Environmental Engineering in bioremediation techniques.
