Dear Interns and Staff,
First, over the past week and a half, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you all and starting my project with my mentor. I might be a little unfamiliar to you because I wasn’t present at the orientations due to a class trip, but however, despite my absence, I really appreciate the fact that NEWT and Rice faculty worked hard to get me on track with all other interns. So Thank You!
Second, I am placed in Dr. Pedro Alvarez’s lab for the duration of the program and in this laboratory, research scientists conduct biological and chemical experiments in order to analyze the different methods of water remediation. I really like my mentor and the scientists who work in this lab due to their kindness and welcoming attitude! Overall, I am really enjoying my time at Rice and NEWT!
Lastly, my mentor and I are working on a specific branch of bioremediation which uses microbial technology to treat 1,4 Dioxane contaminant water. 1,4 Dioxane is a probable human carcinogen established by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and is being widely disposed into national water supplies.
Our problem statement is as follows:
Bioremediation through bacteria cultures is a proven method of remediation of the possible, human carcinogen contaminant of 1,4_dioxane. Through this process, bacteria are injected into a sample of contaminated water in the goal of complete 1,4_dioxane removal. However, current bioremediation technologies have proven to be partially ineffective since samples with low concentrations of 1,4 Dioxane are not completely remediating and this is because of the weakness in the bacteria’s nutritional potentials. Nutritional surplus could be provided to the remediation cultures to increase their fighting potentials, and also growing a set of bacteria cultures with more abundance of responsible genome could also increase potential.
Yours Truly, Aurian Ray Maleki