The objective of the proposed activity is to assess in-situ debromination of PBDEs in sediments. Sediment samples from highly contaminated sites are to be collected, dated and characterized. A mathematical model, considering the complexity of the potential mix of PBDE congeners and the debromination reactions, will be developed and used to simulate debromination pathways. The work proposed here will significantly increase our understanding of the fate of PBDEs in the environment. Many investigators have looked at the distribution of PBDEs in fish; however, very few studies have looked at the fate of PBDEs in sediments, especially with respect to how they degrade. The combination of field work and microbial enrichment studies will enable the investigators to begin the process of understanding how these compounds behave in the environment. This is a well thought out and well written proposal and should be funded. This proposal will significantly impact the promotion of diversity in environmental science and engineering, the university infrastructure, and the general public. The university setting and the experiences of the PI are conducive to the recruitment and training of underrepresented students in the sciences and engineering. The hardware upgrade should facilitate this and other studies by the investigators and others.
