PROGRAM AREA
OVERVIEW --
BIOLOGICAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
The
Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Program supports fundamental,
peer-reviewed research in climate change, environmental remediation, genomics,
systems biology, radiation biology, and medical sciences.
BER funds research at public and private research institutions and at DOE
laboratories. BER also supports
leading edge research facilities used by public and private sector scientists
across a range of disciplines: structural biology, DNA sequencing, functional
genomics, climate science, the global carbon cycle, and environmental molecular
science.
BER
has a particular interest in the following areas:
(1)
Climate Change research aimed at the development of advanced climate models to
describe and predict the roles of oceans, the atmosphere, ice and land masses on
climate over time and research to understand how carbon dioxide moves through
the environment, ways to increase its removal from the atmosphere, and its
impacts on the Earth’s climate and ecosystems.
(2)
Environmental Remediation research aimed at the development of advanced
treatment options for nuclear waste, thereby extending the frontiers of
biological and chemical methods for remediation, including the use of Earth’s
own microbe-based clean-up strategies; this research will yield science-based
strategies to reduce the costs, risks, and time for cleanup of DOE sites
contaminated from years of weapons research.
(3)
Medical Sciences research aimed at the development of advanced imaging
and other medical technologies including highly sensitive radiotracer detectors,
radiopharmaceuticals, and new technologies such as an artificial retina that
will give vision to the blind.
(4)
Life Sciences research aimed at the development of innovative solutions along
unconventional paths to solve challenges in energy and the environment.
Research is focused on understanding
nature’s remarkable array of multi-protein
molecular machines and the intricate workings of complex microbial communities;
and on enabling us to use and even redesign these
microbial machines and communities to produce clean energy, remove carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere, and cleanup the environment.
This program also supports research to understand the biological effects
of low doses of radiation.
20. ATMOSPHERIC
MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY
World-wide energy production is modifying the chemical
composition of the atmosphere and is linked with environmental degradation and
human health problems. The radiative
transfer properties of the atmosphere may be changing as well.
Various technological developments are needed for high accuracy and/or
long term monitoring of these changes to support a strategy of sustainable and
pollution-free energy development for the future.
Grant applications must
propose Phase I bench tests of critical technologies.
Critical technologies are those components, materials, equipment, or
processes that significantly limit current capabilities in one of the specific
subtopics that follow. For example,
grant applications proposing only computer modeling without physical testing
will be considered non-responsive. Grant
applications should also describe the purpose and benefits of any proposed
teaming arrangements with government laboratories or universities in the
technical approach or work plan. Applications
submitted to any of the subtopics should support claims of commercial potential
for proposed technologies, (e.g., endorsements from relevant industrial sectors,
market analysis, or identification of potential spin-offs).
Grant
applications are sought only in the following subtopics:
a. Optical
Methods for Ultra-Sensitive Trace Gas Measurements - Continued
improvement and development of innovative instrumentation are required for
carrying out studies of the chemical processes in the troposphere.
The complexity of the gas mixtures requires specificity and high
sensitivity for adequate characterization and monitoring of key species on short
time scales (seconds). Optical
methods in the visible, near-infrared, and far-infrared allow this specificity
but have suffered from lack of sensitivity for many key gases.
Recent advances in light sources such as Quantum Cascade (QC) lasers and
novel absorption techniques such as cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) are
expected to improve the optical methods. Grant
applications are sought to develop advanced optical methods, based on these new
technologies, to measure the concentration of tropospheric trace gases in field
and aircraft applications. Of
particular interest are small, lightweight instruments that are low in power
consumption for use aboard aircraft platforms and at surface measurement sites.
Target species of particular interest include CO, ethene, acetylene, NO,
NO2, NO3, nitric acid, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, sulfur
dioxide, nitrous acid, nitrous oxide, isoprene, methacrolein, methyl vinyl
ketone, methyl nitrate, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetyl nitrate, methyl
hydroperoxide, and peracetic acid.
Proposed systems must be capable of providing real-time
measurements (i.e., the time for both sampling and response should be less than
one minute) and be sufficiently sensitive to detect concentrations as low as
0.01-0.05 parts per billion. Rapid
response instruments that are capable of flux measurements with response times
of one second or less are of particular interest.
Grant applications must include detailed descriptions of the
instrumentation (including how it will connect to the atmosphere, for the
purpose of sampling, without interference from intake losses or other
confounding factors) and demonstrate how the proposed technique will result in
improved aircraft and field measurement capabilities.
b. DIAL Water Vapor
Profiling System – The accurate, continuous measurement of vertical
profiles of water vapor content in the lower atmosphere remains essential for
atmospheric research and weather forecasting.
Effective techniques currently range from rawinsondes to sophisticated
microwave and optical techniques. The
technology available for differential adsorption lidars (DIALs) to measure
vertical profiles of water vapor has been improving.
Grant applications are solicited to develop a highly portable, eye-safe,
DIAL system for water vapor profiling that requires limited amounts of power and
can operate unattended for long periods of time in the outdoor environment.
Water vapor profiles up to at least two kilometers, during all times of
the day, are required; even greater vertical probing distances are needed for
some studies. Temporal resolution of
one minute or less and vertical height resolution of 50 m or less are needed for
routine observations; even better resolution is required for some special
applications, e.g., the vertical profiling of the eddy fluxes of water vapor.
Of particular interest are innovations that take full advantage of
current laser and optical filter technology, utilize low-cost components and
assembly, and maintain reliability of operation.
c.
Measurement of the Size Distribution of Water Drops in Clouds – Existing
in situ optical instruments, commonly used on research aircraft and
at the surface, for measuring the drop size distribution of water clouds suffer
inherent limitations. Because the
measurement technology of these instruments (e.g., forward scattering and phase
Doppler probes) is based on the light scattering properties of individual drops,
the sample volume must be very small to prevent the coincidence of two or more
drops from influencing the measurement. However,
in clouds with low drop concentrations, these very small sample volumes make it
difficult to obtain statistically significant drop samples when the drops are
greater than approximately 50 µm in diameter.
Yet, clouds with low drop concentrations and with drops greater than 50
µm are scientifically very important because this is the regime in which
drizzle drops (i.e., drops with diameters from 50 to 200 µm) are formed.
The formation of drizzle can lead to a rapid modification of the cloud
drop size distribution, which in turn has a strong influence on a cloud’s
radiative properties, especially for marine and arctic stratus clouds.
(For example, the formation of drizzle often leads to a rapid increase in
effective drop radius and a corresponding decrease in number concentration,
thereby decreasing the reflectance of a cloud.)
Because stratus clouds cover a large portion of the earth, this process
has a strong impact on the global radiative budget.
Grant applications are sought to develop new instrument technology that
is capable of providing statistically significant measurements of the size
distribution of water drops with diameters from 3 to 200 µm in clouds that have
a total drop concentration on the order of 10 to 100 per cubic centimeter.
The new instrumentation should be capable of operation on research
aircraft, tethered balloons, and on the ground without degradation in
performance. The Phase I project
should demonstrate the feasibility of the technology in the laboratory.
In Phase II, an operational sensor should be built and tested on a
research aircraft, on a tethered balloon, and on the ground.
Potential commercial applications of the new sensor could extend to
measurements of industrial and agricultural sprays.
d. Instrumentation for Characterizing Organic Substances
in Aerosol Particles - Important insights into atmospheric pollution can be
gained by understanding the characteristics and temporal changes of organic
substances in ambient atmospheric aerosol particles with diameters less than
about 2.5 micrometers. Grant applications are sought to develop instrumentation
for real-time measurements that will: (1) provide accurate estimates of both
mass and speciation of organic matter as a function of particle size; (2) detect
the changing degree of oxygenation of the organics in aerosols, in order to
evaluate the photochemical evolution of the organic aerosol; or (3) identify
isotopic and molecular-level tracers of primary and secondary organic carbon, in
order to help understand the origins of the fine particulate matter. The
instrumentation and associated systems must account for such factors as polarity
and water solubility, and must be capable of extended operation in an outdoor,
field environment. Methods are needed that will provide accurate measurements of
the organic aerosols with minimal artifacts (for example, semivolatile organics
are known to absorb and desorb from filter media used to collect the organic
aerosol samples) for both field and aircraft operations and for both organic
carbon and black carbon. Examples of past approaches include determining 14C/12C
isotopic ratios as a means of estimating fossil/biogenic hydrocarbon
contributions to the aerosols, optical measurements of the "blackness"
of the sample as a means of determining black carbon (soot) contributions, and
thermal evolution techniques.
References:
1. Albrecht, B. A., et al., “Observations of Marine Stratocumulus During FIRE,” Bulletin of American Meteorological Society, 69:618-626, 1988. (ISSN: 0003-0007)
2. Bachalo, W. D. and Houser, M. J., “Phase/Doppler Spray Analyzer for Simultaneous Measurements of Drop Size and Velocity Distributions,” Optical Engineering, 23:583-590, 1984. (ISSN: 0091-3286)
3. Baumgardner, D., W., et al., “Optical and Electronic Limitations of the Forward-Scattering Spectrometer Probe,” Liquid Particle Size Measurements Techniques: 2nd Volume, pp. 115-127, American Society for Testing and Materials Special Technical Publication, 1990. (ISBN: 0-8031-1459-1) (ASTM STP 1083) (For more information, see ASTM Web site at: www.astm.org)
4.
Capasso, C., et al., “Quantum Cascade Lasers:
Band-Structure Engineering Has Led to Fundamentally New Laser with
Applications Ranging from Highly Sensitive Trace-Gas Analysis to
Communications,” Physics Today, 55:34-40, May 2002.
(ISSN: 0031-9228)
5. Chou, M. D. and Peng, L., “A Parameterization of the Absorption in the 15 Micron CO2 Spectral Region with Application to Climate Sensitivity Studies,” Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 40:2183-2192, September 1983. (ISSN: 0022-4928)
6.
Daum, P. H., et al., “Analysis of the Processing of
7. Eatough, D. J., et al., “A Multiple-System Multi-Channel Diffusion Denuder Sampler for the Determination of Fine-Particulate Organic Material in the Atmosphere,” Atmospheric Environment, Part A: General Topics, 27A(8):1213-1219, June 1993. (ISSN: 0004-6981)
8.
Ellingson, R. G., et al., “The Intercomparison of Radiation
Codes Used in Climate Models--Long Wave Results,” Journal
of Geophysical Research, 96:8929-8953,
9. Fehsenfeld, F. C., et al., “Ground-Based Intercomparison of Nitric Acid Measurement Techniques,” Journal of Geophysical Research, 103(3):3343-3353, 1998. (ISSN: 0148-0227)
10.
Gogou, A. I., et al., “Determination of Organic Molecular
Markers in Marine Aerosols and Sediments: One
Step Flash Chromatography Compound Class Fractionation and Capillary Gas
Chromatographic Analysis,” Journal of
Chromatography, 799(1-2):215-231,
11. Grosjean, D., et al., “Evolved Gas Analysis of Secondary Organic Aerosols,” Aerosol Science and Technology, 21(4):306-324, 1994. (ISSN: 0278-6826)
12. Hansen, A. D., et al., “The Aethalometer–An Instrument for the Real-Time Measurement of Optical Absorption by Aerosol Particles,” paper presented at the International Conference on Carbonaceous Particles in the Atmosphere, Linz, Austria, September 11, 1983, Berkeley, CA: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, August 1983. (DOE Report No. LBL-16106) (NTIS Order No. DE84000400. Available from National Technology Information Service. See Solicitation General Information and Guidelines, section 7.1)
13.
Lawson, R. P. and
14. Miloshevich, L. M. and Heymsfield, A. H., “A Balloon-Borne Continuous Cloud Particle Replicator for Measuring Vertical Profiles of Cloud Microphysical Properties: Instrument Design, Performance, and Collection Efficiency Analysis,” Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 14(4):753-768, August 1997. (ISSN: 0739-0572)
15.
Schiff, H. I., et al., “A Tunable Diode Laser System for
Aircraft Measurements of Trace Gases,” Journal
of Geophysical Research C, Oceans and Atmospheres, 95(7):10147-10153,
16. Slingo, A., “Sensitivity of the Earth's Radiation Budget to Changes in Low Clouds,” Nature, 343:49-51, 1990. (ISSN: 0028-0836)
17. Spicer, C. W., et al., “A Laboratory in the Sky: New Frontiers in Measurements Aloft,” Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 28(9):412A-420A, September, 1994. (ISSN: 0013-936X)
18. Williams, E. J., et al., “An Intercomparison of Five Ammonia Measurement Techniques,” Journal of Geophysical Research C, Oceans and Atmospheres, 97(11):11591-11611, 1992. (ISSN: 0196-2256)
19.
Wulfmeyer, V., “Investigation of Turbulent Processes in the
Lower Troposphere with Water Vapor DIAL and Radar-RASS,” Journal of the
Atmospheric Sciences, 56:1055-1076, April 1999.
(ISSN: 0022-4928)
21. CARBON CYCLE MEASUREMENTS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE BIOSPHERE
Eighty-five percent of our nation's energy results from the
burning of fossil fuels from vast reservoirs of coal, oil, and natural gas.
These processes add carbon to the atmosphere, principally in the form of
carbon dioxide (CO2). It
is important to understand the fate of this excess CO2 in the global
carbon cycle in order to assess the terrestrial ecosystem response, the
sensitivity of climate, and the potential for sequestration in natural carbon
sinks of lands and oceans. Therefore,
improved measurement approaches are needed to quantify carbon changes in
components of the global carbon cycle, particularly the terrestrial biosphere,
in order to improve understanding and assess the potential for future carbon
sequestration.
A DOE working paper on carbon sequestration science and
technology describes research needs and technology requirements for sequestering
carbon by ocean and terrestrial systems (see Reference 2).
This document calls for substantially improved technology for measuring
carbon transformation of the atmosphere and biosphere.
The document also describes advanced sensor technology and measurement
approaches that are needed for detecting changes of carbon quantities of
terrestrial (including biotic, microbial, and soil components) and oceanic
systems, and for evaluating relationships between these carbon cycle components
and the atmosphere.
Grant applications submitted to this topic should
demonstrate performance characteristics of proposed measurement systems, and
show a capability for deployment at field scales ranging from experimental plot
size (meters to hectares of land -- with comparable dimensions for marine
systems) to nominal dimensions of ecosystems (hectares to square kilometers).
Research to develop miniaturized sensors to determine atmospheric CO2
concentration is also encouraged. In addition, Phase I projects must perform
feasibility and/or field tests of proposed measurement systems to assure high
degree of reliability and robustness. Combinations
of remote and in situ approaches will
be considered, although priority will be given to ideas/approaches for verifying
biosphere carbon changes and for estimating carbon sequestration.
Lastly, applicants with an interest in collaboration should
be aware of the DOE Consortium for Research on Carbon Sequestration in
Terrestrial Ecosystems (CSITE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The
co-directors are Gary Jacobs (ORNL/e-mail: jacobsgk@ornl.gov)
and Blaine
Metting (PNNL/e-mail: fb_metting@pnl.gov).
Other
possible collaborators include scientists from Texas A&M University, Colorado
State University, the University of Washington, North Carolina State
University, the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania, and the Joanneum Research Institute in
Austria. Grant
applications are sought only in the following subtopics:
a.
Sensors and Techniques for Measuring Terrestrial Carbon Sinks and SourcesľMeasurement
technology is required to quantify carbon sequestration by natural vegetation
and ecosystems (i.e., carbon sinks) as well as CO2 emissions to the
atmosphere from natural or industrial sources.
Grant applications are sought to develop remote, ground-based sensors and
unique measurement techniques (and associated system technology, if appropriate)
to detect and quantify annual net carbon changes of terrestrial vegetation for
large areas, or to measure and verify the magnitude of CO2 emissions
from various sources. For the
measurement of CO2 sinks, the sensor systems or new technology must
be applicable for forests, grasslands, shrub lands, agricultural lands, and/or
wetlands, and have the capability of producing spatially resolved aggregate
estimates of terrestrial carbon changes to an accuracy of 10 to 25 g/m2/yr
(or approximately 0.25 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year), with less than 25
percent uncertainty. For measuring
emissions, the apparatus must be located at a point remote from the actual site
of CO2 release and
provide accuracy estimates for CO2 concentrations of approximately
0.5 ppm or less. Grant applications
are also sought to design and demonstrate a new CO2 analyzer with the
following characteristics: (1)
ability to determine the mole fraction of CO2 in dry ambient air to a
relative precision of 1 part in 3000 or better in one minute or less; (2) low
gas use (30 cc/min or less) to minimize problems due to water vapor and to
minimize consumption of reference gases, if employed; (3) robust enough for
unattended field deployment for periods of half a year or longer; (4) cost less
than $5000 when manufactured in quantity; and (5) not sensitive to motion.
Mechanical
sensors must be durable in the full range of normal environmental conditions and
exposures, including exposure to
dust, rain, snow, heat, extreme cold, and fog.
Operation in unattended, remote locations for weeks at a time, without
degradation of the measurement, is also required; however, daily
telecommunication with the system for monitoring performance and detecting
potential operational problems would be desirable.
Proposed approaches, including both mechanical sensors and
non-mechanical technology should consist of new, innovative methodologies that
are significant advances over conventional scientific approaches used to measure
CO2, carbon, and related compounds.
Specifically, the measurement systems should be different from, or
substantially augment, existing methods for eddy flux (covariance), routine
monitoring of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, or estimating carbon
quantities of land and/or ocean constituents of the carbon cycle.
Grant applications proposing in
situ or in-stream measurement of flue gas emissions will be declined, as
will applications that offer only incremental or marginal improvements over
existing measurement systems.
b.
Novel Measurements of Organic Substances and Carbon Isotopes in
Terrestrial and Atmospheric MediaľImproved
measurement technology is needed to better characterize processes involving
carbon transformations of soil, vegetation, and associated ecosystem components
and exchanges with the atmosphere. This
includes both carbon content and isotopic measurements of organic matter in
soils and other solid substrates, as well as the carbon content of biological
tissues in various components (e.g., phytomass, detritus) of terrestrial
ecosystems.
Grant applications are sought for measurements of carbon
content in the atmosphere, vegetation, soil, and associated environmental media.
For measurements involving the carbon content of biota and soil, grant
applications must demonstrate that these measurements can be used to predict
changes in carbon quantities and/or fluxes involving major components of
ecosystems, with an accuracy on the order of 10 grams per square meter or less.
Quantification of spatially resolved aggregate estimates of terrestrial
carbon changes should have an accuracy of 10 to 25 g/m2/yr (or
approximately 0.25 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year), with less than 25
percent uncertainty.
For measurements of atmospheric CO2, development of
lightweight (approximately 100 gram) sensors capable of measuring fluctuations
of CO2 in air of the order of plus or minus 1 ppm in a background of 370 ppm is
solicited. The devices must be
suitable for launch on ballonsondes or similar such platforms, and therefore
must be insensitive to large changes in ambient temperature and pressure.
They must be able to operate on low power (e.g., 9v battery), and have a
response time of less than 30 seconds.
Grant
applications are also sought for unique, rapid, and cost-effective methods for
measuring the natural carbon isotopic composition of plant, soil, and
atmospheric materials. The idea is
to use isotope technology to identify sources and sinks of carbon materials, and
to use carbon isotopes to distinguish relative carbon exchanges between
terrestrial or aquatic media and the atmosphere.
New isotope approaches and technology should demonstrate a quantitative
capability for both estimating and distinguishing carbon flux among atmosphere,
biosphere, and soil components of natural and manipulated carbon cycles.
Proposed new measurements of terrestrial biota and soil
must be accomplished by in situ and/or
non-invasive means and/or remote sensing of organic carbon forms across a range
of temporal scales (from seconds to days) and spatial scales (from millimeters
to kilometers), depending on the system properties being observed. Instruments
must be portable and deployable in remote locations, and must not adversely
impact the site of deployment. The
term "remote sensing" means that the observation method is physically
separated from the object of interest. Research
that develops unique surface-based observations and uses them for
calibration/interpretation of other remotely derived data is of interest;
however, except for potential application of CO2 sensor via ballonsonde, other
methods of remote sensing data acquisition by airborne or satellite platforms
will not be considered.
References:
1.
Allen, L. H., Jr., et al., eds., “Advances in Carbon Dioxide
Effects Research,” American Society of
Agronomy, Special Publication No. 61,
2.
Daniels, D. J., Surface
Penetrating Radar,
3.
Hall, D. O., et al., eds., Photosynthesis and Production in a Changing Environment:
A Field and Laboratory Manual,
4.
Hashimoto, Y., et al., eds., Measurement Techniques in Plant Science,
5.
McMichael, B. L. and Persson, H., eds., Plant
Roots and Their Environment: Proceedings
of an ISRR Symposium,
6.
Nelson, D. W. and Sommers, L. E., “Total Carbon, Organic Carbon,
and Organic Matter,” Methods of Soil
Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods,
pp. 961-1010,
7.
Rozema, J., et al., eds., CO2 and Biosphere,
8.
Swift, R., “Organic Matter Characterization,” Methods
of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods, pp. 1011-1070,
The burning of fossil
fuels adds carbon to the atmosphere, principally in the form of carbon dioxide,
and the potential environmental impacts have made carbon management an
international concern. There is
increasing national and international interest in enhancing natural mechanisms
to slow the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase, or in developing new
approaches to mitigate the current atmospheric rise in CO2 levels.
A DOE report on carbon sequestration science and technology (see
reference 2) describes research needs and technology requirements for
sequestering carbon by ocean and terrestrial systems, including a discussion of
advanced biological processes and chemical approaches.
This topic focuses on biological mechanisms that offer the potential to
slow the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase, convert carbon into
relatively stable organic or inorganic forms, and utilize biosystems to achieve
the simultaneous production of fuel or chemicals while sequestering carbon.
Research is needed to identify and quantify mechanisms for CO2
transformation at rates that will lead to the long term fixation or
sequestration of large quantities of carbon (i.e., where10,000 to 100,000 tonnes
or more of carbon per year transformed or fixed is considered significant) when
applied to either natural (e.g., unmanaged terrestrial ecosystems) or managed
biosystems.
Plants are known to
fix CO2 into biomass, and various terrestrial and aquatic microbial
populations also fix greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and CO),
either incorporating them into biomass or transforming them to potentially
useful organic compounds. Biochemical
pathways have been identified in unicellular microorganisms that carry out the
following transformations: (1) CO2 to
CH4 (methanogens); (2) CO2 to organic material, i.e.,
biomass and/or other potentially useful byproducts (nonmethanogenic autotrophs);
(3) CO to organic material (various, including carboxydotrophs, and
methylotrophs); and (4) CH4 to organic material (methanotrophs).
These desired activities are characteristic of bacteria, archaeae,
unicellular algae, and yeasts. The
useful microorganisms may be either photosynthetic (as are algae and blue-green
bacteria) or nonphotosynthetic (most microorganisms).
In some cases,
microbial carbon fixation activity leads to the direct production of long-chain
hydrocarbons (up to C36). Both
CH4 and hydrocarbons are useful fuels, as is H2, which is
also produced by various microorganisms such as autotrophs.
This H2-producing activity may occur directly via carbon
fixation, or indirectly by the reductive biotransformation of organic
carbon-sequestration products by other microbes.
Alternatively, some micro-organisms that are capable of fixing CO2,
CH4, or CO, may instead, when coupled to other fermentative microbial
cultures (e.g., bacteria or yeast) in a two-stage process, transform the gaseous
substrates to useful alcohols (e.g., ethanol or 2,3-butanediol).
Other two-stage processes can produce oxychemicals that are themselves
valuable commodity chemicals (acetate, lactate, acetaldehyde, acetoin, etc.).
Grant applications
must provide for a systematic evaluation of proposed biological mechanisms and
carbon sequestration systems. Estimates
of the amount of CO2 transformed also must be provided, and any
assumptions concerning quantities and conditions for carbon fixation and
sequestration must be clearly defined. Feasibility
tests (analytical, bench, or field) performed in Phase I must demonstrate that
the proposed approach, when scaled up, could theoretically result in a
significant rate reduction in atmospheric CO2 concentration,
significant sequestered amounts of carbon, or the production of significant
amounts of value-added food, fiber, chemicals, construction materials, or fuel
products. Phase I should provide
preliminary data on prospective rates and quantities of enhanced carbon
transformation and sequestration with more comprehensive and peer-reviewed data
sets developed in Phase II. Grant
applications proposing only computer modeling without improvements in physical
mechanisms or field approaches will not be considered.
The facilities and
expertise of the DOE Consortium for Research on Carbon Sequestration in
Terrestrial Ecosystems (CSITE) can be made available to potential SBIR
applicants to this topic. The CSITE
is a consortium based at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).
The co-directors are Gary Jacobs (ORNL/e-mail: jacobsgk@ornl.gov)
and Blaine Metting (PNNL/e-mail: fb_metting@pnl.gov).
Scientists at Texas A&M University,
Colorado
State University, the University of Washington, North Carolina State
University, and the Joanneum Research Institute in
Austria
can also provide support to potential
applicants. The DOE also supports
carbon sequestration research at the National Energy Technology Laboratory
(NETL). Grant applications are
sought only in the following subtopics:
a.
Plant and Soil Sequestration of Carbon - Terrestrial
vascular plants effectively capture CO2 from the atmosphere and
produce organic compounds, which sustain productivity of the Earth’s
ecosystems. Some of the fixed carbon
is sequestered in soils or sediments and in wood products of terrestrial
ecosystems. Woody species, for
example, sequester carbon as lignocellulose, which is a stored product for the
lifetime of the tree. Also, above-
and below-ground biomass carbon contributes to soil organic matter, which may
store carbon for long periods of time. Grant
applications are sought to identify and quantify the biological pathways and
mechanisms leading to increased quantities of carbon sequestration by biotic and
soil components of terrestrial ecosystems. Areas
of particular interest include: (1)
research on plant metabolic pathways or mechanisms that allow increased CO2
fixation rates, achieved through conventional molecular or traditional genetic
means, and leading to overall productivity increases; (2) novel technologies for
managing vegetation (such as cost-effective nutrient management, forest
regeneration, and ecosystem modification) to enhance carbon uptake and
retention, thereby significantly increasing CO2 fixation and C
storage; (3) techniques for increasing the fraction of recalcitrant organic
compounds produced during natural microbial conversion of plant biomass in
soils, resulting in increased long-term C-storage; and (4) measurement
techniques that would allow for the validation of technologies developed to
enhance net long-term C sequestration in man-made and natural environments.
Proposed approaches should exhibit a capability to
increase, or to measure increases of, carbon fixation or sequestration by at
least 1 tonne per hectare per year. Grant
applications should provide information about rates and quantities of carbon
fixation or sequestration enhancement by the proposed technologies.
Phase I must demonstrate basic feasibility and efficacy of proposed
sequestration mechanisms, with the larger field-scale applications designed and
tested in Phase II.
b. Development
of Enhanced Carbon-Sequestering Biosystems - Previously-identified,
naturally-occurring cultures have been shown to fix carbon along with the
production of fuels or commodity chemicals.
Grant applications are sought to further optimize these processes via one
or more biotechnological techniques (strain improvement including the use of
genetic engineering, culture medium optimization, novel reactor design, or
improved reactor operation). Desired
improvements should increase carbon sequestration rates by at least 50%.
Grant applications should focus on: (1)
the development of microbial cultures with improved carbon-sequestering
abilities, (2) the development of improved reactors or their operating protocols
configurations that support improved growth, or (3) a combination of (1) and
(2). Phase I must demonstrate the
improved carbon sequestration biosystem(s) on a bench scale.
Larger, pilot-scale demonstrations would be tested in Phase II.
c. Production
of Commodity Chemicals - Grant applications are sought to identify and
characterize new one- or two-stage biosystems capable of fixing carbon along
with the production of nonfuel commodity chemicals – acids, alcohols, and/or
aldehydes. (“Stage” refers to a
discrete microbial culture containing either a single organism or a consortium
– two-stage cultures are operated sequentially.
“Biosystem” refers to a culture grown in a bioreactor.)
Although a single biosystem would not be expected to perform all of these
tasks, a single stage biosystem that produced large amounts of biosolids would
still be of interest – provided that the biosolids could be used as
petrochemical-sparing feedstocks for chemical production (either via traditional
methods or as agricultural soil amendments via composting).
For biosolids produced as chemical feedstocks, no special attributes are
required. However, biosolids
produced for agricultural purposes must be more resistant to subsequent
biodegradation than typical cellulosic materials.
Areas of interest include (1) the identification of new,
naturally-occurring microorganisms with acceptable carbon-sequestering
abilities; (2) the identification of novel configurations for growth of useful
microorganisms at the expense of greenhouse gases, or
Proposed approaches based on these new biosystems must show
significant potential for rapidly fixing large quantities of carbon.
An acceptable carbon sequestration rate would be the consumption of at
least 5 grams of carbon (expressed on an atom basis) per gram cell dry weight
per hour, at an ambient temperature of at least 15 degrees C.
This rate corresponds to a generation time of no less than approximately
24 hours. In the case of chemical
production, the overall process must demonstrate a net CO2
consumption through the formation of biomass as a by-product.
(It is understood that CO2 production, through normal cell
metabolism, is unavoidable, but significant net yield of fixed carbon should be
the design objective and performance measure.)
Phase I must demonstrate basic feasibility and efficacy of the proposed
carbon sequestration mechanisms on a bench scale.
Larger, pilot-scale demonstrations with emphasis on yield performance
would be tested in Phase II.
d. Production
of Fuel Chemicals - Grant applications are sought to identify and
characterize new one- or two-culture biosystems capable of fixing carbon along
with production of fuel chemicals – H2, CH4, fuel
hydrocarbons including oils, or fuel alcohols such as ethanol.
Areas of interest include: (1)
the identification of new, naturally-occurring microorganisms with acceptable
carbon-sequestering abilities, (2) the identification of novel configurations
for growth of useful microorganisms at the expense of greenhouse gases, or (3) a
combination of (1) and (2). It is
understood that no single biosystem would be capable of performing all of these
tasks.
Proposed approaches based on these new biosystems must show
significant potential for rapidly fixing large quantities of carbon.
An acceptable carbon sequestration rate would be the consumption of at
least 5 grams of carbon (expressed on an atom basis) per gram cell dry weight
per hour, at an ambient temperature of at least 15 degrees C.
This rate corresponds to a generation time of no less than approximately
24 hours. In the case of chemical
production, the overall process must demonstrate a net CO2
consumption through the formation of biomass as a by-product.
(It is understood that CO2 production, through normal cell
metabolism, is unavoidable, but significant net yield of fixed carbon should be
the design objective and performance measure.)
Phase I must demonstrate basic feasibility and efficacy of the proposed
carbon sequestration mechanisms on a bench scale.
Larger, pilot-scale demonstrations with emphasis on yield performance
would be tested in Phase II.
1.
Belaich, J. P., ed., Microbiology and Biochemistry of Strict Anaerobes Involved in
Interspecies Hydrogen Transfer,
2.
Greenhouse Gases, Global Climate Change and
3.
Lal, R., ed., Soil Processes
and the Carbon Cycle,
4.
Ratledge, C., ed., Biochemistry
of Microbial Degradation,
5.
References from Technical Sessions 3C, 4C, 5C, First
National Conference on Carbon Sequestration,
6.
Reichle, D., et al., Carbon Sequestration Research and Development,
7. Rosenberg, N. J., et al., eds., “Carbon Sequestration in Soils: Science, Monitoring and Beyond,” Proceedings of the St. Michaels Workshop, St. Michaels, MD, December 1998, Columbus, OH: Battelle Press, 1999. (ISBN: 1-57477-084-5) (Available from Battelle Press. Telephone: 1-800-451-3543. Web site: http://www.battelle.org/bookstore. Search by author.)
8.
Rozema, J., et al., eds., CO2 and the Biosphere,
9.
Various articles from “Natural
Sinks of CO2: Proceedings
of the Palmas Del Mar Workshop,
The Department of Energy (DOE) Medical Sciences program
covers a broad range of energy-related technologies including nuclear
medicine and advanced imaging instrumentation.
DOE is interested in innovative research involving medical technologies
to facilitate and advance the current state of diagnosis and treatment of human
disorders.
Principles of physics, chemistry, and engineering are being
employed to advance fundamental concepts dealing with human health, to utilize
the study of molecular interactions for a better understanding of organ
function, and to develop innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants,
devices, and informatics systems for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
disease and for improving human health. The
DOE Advanced Medical Instrumentation program seeks to capitalize on the unique
physical sciences and engineering capabilities at the DOE's national
laboratories to develop new technologies that will have a significant impact on
human health.
With respect to nuclear medicine, current areas of research
include the development of: (1)
radiopharmaceuticals as radiotracers to study in vivo chemistry, metabolism, cell communication, and gene
expression in normal and disease states, and as therapeutic agents; and (2) new
radionuclide imaging systems. Grant
applications are sought only in the following subtopics:
a.
Development of Novel Probes for
Biomedical Applications - Grant
applications are sought to develop improved and new probes (fluorescent,
electron dense, vibrational tags, etc.) with optimum physico-chemical properties
for visualization, tracking, assembly, and disassembly of the multiprotein
complexes that execute cellular functions and govern both cell form and
components. These multifunctional probes would measure structure, including
post-translational modification, and would function in real time.
Novel probes are also needed to enable rapid visualization and
quantification of intracellular processes with high spatial resolution.
Probes should be selective, non-perturbative, resistant to degradation,
and have unique spectroscopic signatures. Grant
applications must present unambiguous experimental systems to validate probe
performance and demonstrate that the research will ultimately result in new
sensors for medical applications. Several
DOE national laboratories have developed considerable expertise in this research
area and are available for possible collaboration.
b.
Radiopharmaceutical Development for Radiotracer Diagnosis and Targeted
Molecular Therapy - Grant applications are sought to develop:
(1) radiolabeled compounds that could have applications as radiotracers
for radionuclide imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography and
single photon emission computed tomography; (2) improved and simplified
production of radiolabeled compounds through the use of mini-accelerator
technology or automated radiochemical analysis/synthesis techniques; and (3)
radiopharmaceuticals for targeted molecular therapy.
Of particular interest are radiochemical, synthetic, and combinatorial
molecular engineering approaches. All
efforts should ultimately result in a product for nuclear medicine use.
c.
Advanced Imaging Technologies - Grant applications are sought for
new, sensitive, high resolution instrumentation for radionuclide imaging.
The instrumentation should advance the application of radiotracer
methodologies for imaging molecular biological functions including cell
communication and gene expression in vivo.
Areas of interest include the development of:
(1) new detector materials and detector arrays for both positron emission
and single photon emission computed tomography; (2) software for rapid image
data processing and image reconstruction; and (3) methods of integrating in vitro and in vivo
instrumentation technologies for real time molecular imaging of biological
function and for new drug development and utilization.
1.
Klaisner, L., Nuclear
Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference: 1993 IEEE Conference Record,
IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society, 2000.
(ISBN: 0-7803-1488-3)
2.
Reba, R. C., ed., “Introduction,” Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Supplement, 36(6):1S, June 1995.
(ISSN: 0161-5505)
3.
Wagner, H. N., et al., eds., Principles of Nuclear Medicine, 2nd ed.,
4.
“Supplementary
Information,” at Web site for DOE Office of Science, Notice 03-14:
Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Nuclear Medicine Science Research -
Medical Applications Program. (Available
at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/grants/Fr03-14.html.
Scroll down page to text under “SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.”)
5.
Vera,
D. R. and Eckelman, W. C., “Receptor 1980 and Receptor 2000: twenty years of
progress in receptor-binding radiotracers,” Nuclear Medicine and Biology,
28(5):475-476, July 2001. (ISSN:
0969-8051) (Abstract and ordering information available at ScienceDirect Web
site: http://www.sciencedirect.com/.
Using “Quick Search,” search for article title within “All
Full-text Sources.”)
6.
Cherry, S. R., et al., Physics
in Nuclear Medicine, 3rd ed.,
7.
Sandler, M. P., et al., eds., Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine, 4th ed.,
The
Department of Energy (DOE) supports research to acquire a fundamental
understanding of biological and environmental processes.
This includes the display of genomes as DNA sequences, the functional
characterization of gene products from humans and useful organisms, structural
biology research using beam lines at synchrotron sources and other facilities,
computational genomics, and the development of integrating information systems.
This topic is focused on the goals of the Genomes To Life (GTL) program, namely,
to develop a detailed understanding of the molecular machines of the cell and of
their networking. Microbes with
capabilities that can further several DOE programmatic missions are being used
as the current subjects for these studies. The knowledge thus gained would
enable both the public and private sectors to apply genome knowledge to the
production of energy sources, promote environmental applications such as
bioremediation and carbon sequestration, promote cleaner industrial processes
using biotechnology, and enable increasingly effective computational models of
the microbial cell. For some of the
subtopics below, capabilities already exist in a few laboratories, but
commercial involvement will be needed before the technology can be exported to
the broader research community. Grant
applications are sought only in the following subtopics:
a.
Genome Scale Reagent Sets – There is an increasing availability of
genomes as sequenced chromosomes with their constituent genes.
These genes number in the thousands for bacteria and in the 10-100
thousand range for higher organisms. Each
gene may give rise to numerous distinct mRNAs and proteins, through processes of
alternative RNA splicing and post-translational modifications.
Micro-arraying methodologies are enabling highly parallelized
interrogations of these huge macromolecule collections. However, production and
management systems are required to assure the availability of the numerous
analytical reagents that are needed in small quantities.
Grant applications are sought for: (1)
systems that will produce thousands of affinity reagents (oligo-nucleotides,
synthetic genes, antibodies, and other affinity reagents) in pico-molar
quantities; (2) miniaturized delivery systems for such reagent sets; (3) reagent
sets for quantitation of RNA splicing; and (4) candidate interferring RNAs for
testing as regulatory agents.
b.
Proteomics – A number of proteomics tasks are being pursued to achieve the goals of the
GTL program. These tasks include
high throughput production and purification of proteins, correlation of proteins
with the genes encoding their primary structure, identification of protein
isoforms encoded by the same gene, identification of memberships in functional
complexes of proteins, and identification of the variations of proteome
constituents under change to useful physiological states.
However, a number of obstacles are preventing the accomplishment of these
tasks. For example, several
host-vector systems are available for the production of proteins encoded in a
hyper-expressed source gene; yet, for some source genes, the proteins fail to
fold into physiologically effective three-dimensional conformations (entrapment
in insoluble inclusion bodies is one cause of such failures).
Another difficulty is that proteins targeted to membranes are
problematic. Lastly, the lack of
affinity reagents that bind to proteins in their native conformations adversely
impacts structure, protein association, and function analyses.
Therefore, grant applications are sought for the improved recovery and
analysis of effective proteins. Areas
of interest include: (1) the
production of solubilized proteins in active confirmations with or without
post-translational modifications; (2) the development of synthetic membranes or
nano-structures enabling analyses of membrane proteins; (3) the development of
improved affinity reagents; and (4) the development of reporting labels to
enable the multiplexing of assays.
c.
Instrumentation for Single Macromolecule
Analysis and Control – Over the last decade, research laboratories have made
substantial progress in developing instrumentation for the interrogation and
manipulation of single macromolecules. Techniques
include the use of optical-laser tweezers, atomic force microscopy, and single
molecule fluorescence microscopy. Although
the effectiveness of these techniques has improved steadily and the
instrumentation is now robust, most of these single-molecule, biophysics
instruments are locally built. The
lack of commercial support has severely hindered the export of these
technologies to the broader user community.
Grant applications are sought to expand the commercialization of
techniques, instrumentation, and software systems so as to enable the broader
usage of single macromolecule analysis methods.
d.
Informatics
– The development of an effective computational model of the cell not only
would contribute to the GTL program but also would have numerous applications,
including the preliminary processing of genome scale data sets being generated
by experimental groups. Grant
applications are sought to improve one or more of the component software
packages that have already been developed by laboratory groups, in order to
enhance user friendliness and thereby support their broad export to the
biologist community. Grant
applications are also sought to develop novel software in support of cellular
modeling tasks. Of particular
interest are approaches related to: (1) systems biology, (2) the processing of
proteomics and metabolomics data sets, (3) improved integration and or querying
of heterogenous data sets, and (4) the automated development of cellular
metabolic models from data sets on newly studied microbes.
References:
1.
“Bioscience: A Most
Singular Study [single molecule methods],” Berkeley Lab Highlights, Berkeley
Lab Research Review, Special Issue, 23(3), Fall 2000.
(Available at: http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Research-Review/Highlights/2000/stories/bioscience/singular2.html
2.
Parvin, B., et al., “BioSig:
An Imaging Bioinformatic System for Studying Phenomics,” Computer,
35(7):65-71, July 2002. (ISSN:
0018-9162) (To order, see IEEE Computer Society Web site at:
http://www.computer.org/computer/co2002/r7toc.htm)
3.
“Post Sequencing Research Challenges,” Human Genome News, 11(1-2),
Washington
,
4.
DOE Joint Genome Institute, U.S. DOE Office of Biological
and Environmental Research (OBER)
http://www.jgi.doe.gov, http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/publicat/2003jgi/index.htm
5.
Genomes To Life: Biological
Solutions for Energy Challenge, U.S.
DOE OBER/Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research, http://doegenomestolife.org/
6.
Research Abstracts from the DOE Genome Contractor-Grantee
Workshop IX,
7.
Research Topics, U.S. DOE OBER, http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/ober/restopic.html
8.
25. MEASUREMENT/MONITORING AND CHARACTERIZATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE
SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENT
The characterization and monitoring of soils, subsurface sediments, and
ground water are important elements of Department of Energy (DOE) research
efforts. Objectives include
determining the fate and transport of contaminants generated from past weapons
production activities and from current energy production activities, evaluating
the risks of energy-related contaminants to human health and ecosystems, and
assessing and controlling processes to remediate contaminants.
Grant applications submitted to this topic must detail why and how
proposed in situ field technologies will substantially improve the
state-of-the-art and must include bench tests to demonstrate the technology.
Projected dates for likely operational field deployment must be clearly
stated. New or advanced field
technologies that operate under field conditions with mixed/multiple
contaminants and that can be deployed in 2-3 years will receive selection
priority. Claims of commercial
potential for proposed technologies must be supported by information such as
endorsements from relevant industrial sectors, market analysis, or
identification of commercial spin-offs. Grant
applications that propose incremental improvements or enhancements to existing
technologies are not of interest and will be declined, as will enhancements to
predictive models.
For some of the following subtopics, collaboration with government
laboratories or universities may speed the development of the measurement or
monitoring technology. For example,
the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a DOE scientific user
facility located at the Hanford Site in Richland, WA, can provide analytical instrumentation and capabilities with direct
application to sensor development and testing.
Potential applicants for subtopics a, c and d are invited to review the
web site for the Interfacial Chemistry and Engineering group (http://www.emsl.pnl.gov/homes/ice/)
and the Interfacial and Nanoscale Science Facility (http://www.emsl.pnl.gov/capabs/insf.shtml)
at the EMSL. For subtopic b,
potential applicants are invited to review the web site for the Savannah River
Ecology Laboratory (SREL), located at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC.
In addition to the potential
sources for collaboration, scientists at SREL are involved in several on-going
phytoremediation research projects (see references).
Grant applications must describe, in the technical approach or work plan,
the purpose and specific benefits of any proposed teaming arrangements.
Grant applications are sought only in the following subtopics:
a. Real-Time, In Situ
Measurements in Soils, Subsurface Sediments, or Groundwater –
There is a need for
sensitive, accurate, and real-time monitoring of geochemical and hydrogeologic
processes and their interactions with microorganisms in contaminated soils,
sediments, or ground water environments (hereafter referred to as the
subsurface). The use of highly
sensitive monitoring devices in the subsurface (in situ) would allow for
low-cost field deployment in remote locations and an enhanced ability to monitor
processes at finer levels of resolution. For
this subtopic, the following radionuclides and metals are of interest:
americium, arsenic, cesium, chromium, cobalt, mercury, plutonium,
strontium, technetium, and uranium. In
addition, chelators such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA),
nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and catechol derivatives (e.g.,
disodium-1.2-dihydroxybenzene-3,5,-disulfonate) will be considered.
Grant applications that address other contaminants will be declined.
Grant applications are sought to develops sensors and systems to: (1) detect
hydrogeologic and biogeochemical processes that control the transport,
dispersion, or transformation of contaminants (particularly metals and
radionuclides) in the subsurface; (2) determine characteristics such as
concentration, movement, or speciation of contaminants in the subsurface; and/or
(3) measure mass-transfer processes and rates within and among individual pores
in the subsurface. Grant
applications must provide convincing documentation (experimental data,
calculations, etc.) that the sensing method is both highly sensitive (i.e.,
low detection limit) and highly selective to the target analyte (i.e.,
immune to anticipated physical/chemical/biological interferences.)
Approaches that leave
significant doubt regarding sensor functionality in realistic multi-component
samples will be excluded from consideration.
Grant applications are also sought for integrated sensing and
controller/signal processing systems for autonomous or unattended applications
of the above measurement needs. Innovative
integration of components (such as micro-machined pumps, valves, and
micro-sensors) into a complete sensor package with field applications in the
subsurface will be considered responsive to this subtopic.
Approaches of interest could include fiber optic,
solid-state, chemical, silicon micro-machined sensors, or biosensors (devices
employing biological molecules or systems in the sensing elements) that can be
used in the field. Biosensing
systems may incorporate, but are not limited to, whole cell biosensors (i.e.,
chemoluminescent or bioluminescent systems), enzyme or immunology-linked
detection systems (e.g.,
enzyme-linked immunosensors incorporating colorimetric or fluorescent portable
detectors), lipid characterization systems or DNA/RNA probe technology
with amplification and hybridization. As
substantial progress has been made in fiber optics and chemical sensing
technology in the last decade, grant applications that propose minor adaptations
of readily available materials/hardware, and/or can not demonstrate substantial
improvements over the current state-of-the-art, are not of interest and will be
declined.
b. Phytoremediation and Mycoremediation Monitoring of Soils and Sediments
– New approaches to the restoration of contaminated areas – phytoremediation
and mycoremediation – are being considered for use at DOE sites.
Phytoremediation involves the use of living plants to extract and remove
metals, radionuclides, and organic contaminants from soils, subsurface
sediments, or ground water. Mycoremediation
exploits the natural ability of fungi to extract contaminants from soils and
concentrate them in fungal tissues above ground.
Innovative methods are needed to monitor the performance or
effectiveness of these and other bioremediation processes, particularly at the
field scale. Performance or
effectiveness monitoring will be needed to determine whether cleanup levels have
been met. For this subtopic, the
contaminants of interest include a number of metals and radionuclides
(americium, arsenic, cesium, chromium, cobalt, mercury, plutonium, strontium,
technetium and uranium), chelators, chlorinated organics, and ketones.
Grant applications are sought to develop technology for monitoring the following
parameters of plants and fungi used in phytoremediation and mycoremediation,
respectively: (1) the concentration and partitioning of contaminants in plant
roots (sorbed or bound and internal), shoots, stems, and leaves; (2) the
concentration and partitioning of contaminants in fungal vegetative vs. aerial
mycelium; (3) root or mycelial depth, distribution, density, and diameter: (4)
mortality, health, and vigor of plants or fungi (stress indicator); (5)
photosynthetic rates in plants; or carbon assimilation rates in fungi; (6) leaf
area and evapotranspiration, in plants; or fruiting body dimensions in fungi;
and/or (7) plant or fungal tolerance or sensitivity to contaminants of interest.
Potential monitoring technologies could include any of the following techniques:
(1) spectral reflectance and thermal infrared measurement techniques, (2)
laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and laser-induced fluorescence imaging,
(3) laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, (4) x-ray fluorescence, (5)
ground-penetrating radar measurement, (6) chlorophyll fluorescence measurement,
(7) Enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA)-based,
respirometric, or other biochemical measurement of metabolite production, and
(8) molecular monitoring of soil and rhizosphere microbiology.
Both remote monitoring and in situ monitoring approaches are of
interest. Proposed technologies
should significantly improve the speed, efficiency, and cost of current
monitoring methods. While initial
proof of principle experiments may focus on one single contaminant, the
technology ultimately must be able to operate under mixed contaminant conditions
such as those commonly found at DOE sites.
c.
Sensor Technology for Monitoring Tank Waste – Grant applications
are sought for the long-term monitoring of gases or liquids released from, or
contained within, tanks containing mixtures of contaminants.
Sensors would be used to detect and/or quantify contaminants, or their
degradation products, in off-gases, effluents, or other samples.
Sensors could also be used in situ to monitor changes in waste
chemistry during storage. Contaminants
of interest include a number of metals and radionuclides (americium, cesium,
chromium, cobalt, mercury, plutonium, strontium, technetium, and uranium);
anions such as nitrate; chelators; extractants such as tributyl phosphate;
chlorinated organics; and ketones. Relevant
wastes are expected to contain more than one type of contaminant; therefore, the
sensor technology must be both sensitive and specific for targeted
contaminant(s). Development of
robust sensors, capable of use with high-level waste, is encouraged.
However, sensors suitable for use with other waste types (such as
low-level, mixed or hazardous) are equally desirable.
d.
In Situ Monitoring Systems to
Facilitate the Use of Reactive Barriers -
Several DOE sites have plumes in the subsurface that are contaminated with
metals, organics, and/or radionuclides. The current approach to remediating
these plumes involves pump-and-treat operations, a process that manages, but may
not completely eliminate, the risks associated with the plumes.
Another approach, which could be used along with pump-and-treat
operations, involves the construction of barriers that react with the
contaminant to prevent further migration of the plume contaminants.
The reactions are intended to convert the contaminant(s) into non-mobile
form(s) or to degrade the contaminant(s) into non-toxic
material(s).
(Additional information on reactive barriers can be found at http://www.gjo.doe.gov/perm-barr/
and http://www.rtdf.org/public/permbarr/default.htm.)
Systems
are needed to monitor the performance and integrity of reactive barriers.
The development and deployment of such systems involves numerous
challenges. Technical challenges
include determining appropriate indicator parameters for both the barrier and
the contaminant plume of interest, ensuring the longevity and continued
integrity of the monitoring system itself, identifying appropriate ways of
communicating monitoring data and other information to and from the system, and
determining reliable maintenance strategies and schedules for the systems.
Additional challenges involve replacing conventional monitoring
practices, often based on laboratory analysis of manually obtained samples, with
strategies based on the use of automated, remote monitoring systems, and
achieving acceptance of these new systems and strategies by regulators and
stakeholders.
Grant applications are sought to develop in situ remote monitoring systems for reactive barriers. Proposed systems should include: (1) autonomous reporting via secure wireless communications to a central information processing facility; (2) low power requirements, preferably using on-site solar panels; (3) no need, or at most minimal need, to replenish reagents or other consumables; (4) zero, or at most minimal, production of secondary wastes; and (5) a capacity for self-testing and autocalibration. Methods for detecting the condition and/or efficacy of the barrier itself, rather than just the targeted contaminants are of particular interest; an ideal system would provide sufficient advance notice of impending barrier failure so that actions could be taken to prevent the failure. Of particular interest are monitoring systems for barriers intended to deal with any of the halogenated organic constituents, hazardous inorganic species (e.g., RCRA metals) and radionuclides. Grant applications should clearly identify the types of barriers and contaminants being addressed, provide an explanation of the fundamental scientific principles underlying the proposed method(s), and identify the detection/sensitivity limits for the monitoring systems. Communications support for monitoring systems is available and, therefore, is not sought in this topic.
1. Dandridge, A. and Cogdell, G. B., “Fiber Optic Sensors - Performance, Reliability, Smallness,” Sea Technology, 35(5):31, May 1994. (ISSN: 0093-3651)
2.
Egorov, O. B., et al., “Radionuclide Sensors Based on Chemically
Selective Scintillating Microspheres: Renewable
Column Sensor for Analysis of 99Tc in Water,” Analytical Chemistry, 71(23):5420-5429,
3.
Natural and Accelerated
Bioremediation Research Program Plan,
4.
Raskin,
5.
Research Needs in Subsurface
Science:
6.
Riley, R. G., et al., Chemical
Contaminants on DOE
7. Rivera H., et al., “A Microsensor to Measure Nanomolar Concentrations of Nitric Oxide,” Sensors, 11(2):72-73, February 1994. (ISSN: 0746-9462)
8. Publications by EMSL Scientists and External Users of the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, 2003: http://www.emsl.pnl.gov:2080/docs/
9. Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Technology Needs Database Web site, U.S. Department of Energy, 2001: http://www.em.doe.gov/techneed/
10. Nevada Test Site (NTS) Technology Needs Web site, U.S. Department of Energy, 2001: http://www.nv.doe.gov/programs/envmgmt/blackmtn/TDSTCGTechnologyNeeds.htm
11. Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) Science and Technology Needs Web site, U.S. Department of Energy, 2001: http://www.inel.gov/st-needs/
12. Fact Sheet on Phytoremediation Research at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL), 2002: http://www.uga.edu/srel/Fact_Sheets/phytoremediation.htm. (The primary point of contact is currently Dr. Lee Newman. See: http://www.uga.edu/srel/faculty.htm)
13.
A National Roadmap for
Vadose Zone Science and
14. U.S. DOE Grand Junction Office, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Ground Water Project Web site, 2003: http://www.gjo.doe.gov/
15. Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) Program activities at UMTRA sites Web site, 2003: http://www.pnl.gov/nabir-umtra/index.stm
16.
CLU-IN: Hazardous
Waste Clean-Up Information Web site, Environmental Protection Agency, Technology
Innovation Office, 2003: http://www.clu-in.org/