http://passes.cz/

Charles University in Prague

ALS Laboratory Group Norway AS

The PASSES project deals with research and innovation of progressive methods and tools for detailed description of processes occurring in saturated zone of contaminated sites before, during and after implementation of remedial actions (e.g. injection of organic substrate, biological preparation containing allochthonous microorganisms). Detailed knowledge of these processes is crucial for impact assessment as well as for achieving maximal remediation effectiveness. The main aim of the project is to assess the possibility of stimulating biodegradation of organic pollutants (especially chlorinated hydrocarbons) by autochthonous or allochthonous microbial communities. This includes to design and to test selected combinations of analytical and genomicapproaches that will enable to exactly predict whether biodegradation is feasible on specific sites.The main research objective is completed by longterm assessment of ecotoxicity of performed treatment actions. This is especially needed because combinations of several different remediation methods are usually applied in practice. Biodegradation generally represents the final step, which provides further longterm treatment of remediated sites and thus, it may be affected (positively or negatively) by the previously carried out treatment steps. The first part that will be adapted and utilized within the project is passive sampling of chemicals from groundwater. It allows analysing both actual concentration of chemical compounds and their average concentrations over time without necessity to pump contaminated water out of the well and disturb the natural conditions. The second element of the project involves the use of in situ microcosms, which will allow longterm monitoring of microbial populations using advanced molecular methods.

17 043 000 CZK