Cold active Enzyme Booster Technology (EnBooT®) for decontamination of petroleum hydrocarbons

Petroleum hydrocarbons (comprise crude oil, gasoline, and diesel) are an important energy resource used by industries and human. At the same time, contamination by oil and oil products has caused serious harm to humans and the environment and increasing attention has been paid to the development and implementation of innovative technologies for the removal of these contaminants. Bioremediation, which is based on certain species of microorganisms to metabolize petroleum hydrocarbons completely or partially, is considered a cheap and effective method to clean up contaminated water and soil. However, low temperatures can adversely affect the clean time in cold climate regions. Some bacteria are known as cold-active oil-eating strains that can use petroleum hydrocarbons as sources of energy for growth at low temperatures (<15C). These bacteria can produce biological agents (enzymes) in the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons which can be useful for the removal of petroleum hydrocarbon spills in a short treatment time. we proposed Enzyme Booster Technology (EnBooT) as a novel, green, and effective advanced bioremediation method. In this regard, the combination of cold-active enzymes will be used for petroleum hydrocarbons for soil clean-up in Canadian cold sites.

Faculty Supervisor:

Satinder Kaur Brar

Student:

Saba Miri

Partner:

Incubate Innovate Network of Canada

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

York University