Microbial Viability Within Hydrogel Matrices

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a commonly used industrial solvent, is a widespread, persistent, and carcinogenic groundwater pollutant. An effective treatment strategy for TCE contamination is bioremediation using reductively dechlorinating bacteria. However, during bioremediation changing pH levels can harm these degrading microbes. By incorporating the microbes into a polymer matrix, pH is buffered and the microbes are protected. Determination of encapsulated microbe viability assists in optimization of polymer formulations to better protect microbial consortia and improve degradation of contaminants.

My research focuses on using Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus Acidophilus as organisms to model microbial viability in an encapsulated state. This is done by growing the bacteria under variable conditions with various polymer types and several methods of bead formation. By maximizing microbial viability we can limit the production of hazardous intermediary chemicals in the bioremediation process and decrease the number of times that bioremediation is necessary to clean up contaminated sites.