WC132 SeptOct 2023 - Magazine - Page 32
BIOREMEDIATION
Enzyme Booster Technology
An adventure in cold-climate bioremediation
BY SEYYED MOHAMMADREZA DAVOODI, PH.D.
N NORTHERN ONTARIO, a pressing environmental challenge loomed large: contaminated soils saturated with complex
hydrocarbon chains, a result of extensive petroleum product
usage. As the pollution threatened both the ecosystem and
potable water supply, conventional bioremediation methods
struggled to provide a viable solution.
Amidst the growing concern, a team of curious minds
at York University’s Inzymes
team, led by Dr. Satinder
Kaur Brar, envisioned a new
approach to bioremediation:
Enzyme Booster Technology (EnBooT)—a green and
cost-effective way to combat
soil contamination.
I
Seyyed Mohammadreza Davoodi is
a chemical engineer with a Ph.D. in
bioremediation doing postdoctoral
research at York University with a focus
on in-situ remediation tool development
for unconventional oil contamination.
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From the ground up
The tale of EnBooT began
with the team’s determination to develop site-specific
enzyme cocktails, tailor-made
to combat the toxic effects of
native microorganisms. With
a shared vision to outdo the
limitations of traditional remediation techniques, including
in-situ thermal methods and
chemical oxidation, the team
aimed to address the unique
challenges of cold-climate regions where existing solutions failed.
The researchers encountered complex hydrocarbon compounds
in the contaminated soils, notorious for resisting degradation and
chemical oxidation, which presented a major hurdle. They recognized the need for a novel approach that could effectively handle
these stubborn pollutants.
Through continuous testing and innovation, the team began to
realize the potential of EnBooT. The technology not only offered
efficiency but also a greener alternative to chemical-based treatments. With each experiment, EnBooT’s promise grew, suggesting its potential to create compact on-site systems for enzyme
production that could be scaled up as needed. The progress of
WATER C AN ADA • SEP TEMBER/OC TOBER 2023
Getty Images
The researchers
encountered
complex
hydrocarbon
compounds in
the contaminated
soils, notorious
for resisting
degradation
and chemical
oxidation
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
