The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems awarded a $199,999 RAPID Project Grant to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to monitor the microbial attenuation of toxins released following the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment in February 2023.
The project aims to test the hypothesis that microbial communities in contaminated areas will show measurable responses that could inform contaminant degradation and natural attenuation processes. The research team, including co-investigators from the University of Tennessee and Microbial Insights, Inc., will collect and analyze soil, sediment, and groundwater samples to quantify contaminant-degrading microorganisms and their activity. This work has the potential to guide the design of site-specific monitoring programs to assess natural remediation potential at the East Palestine site and nearby areas impacted by the chemical release.
The project will also provide educational benefits through the mentoring of one graduate and three undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee. This award reflects NSF's mission to support fundamental research and education in engineering-related fields.
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