Research areas
Molecular microbiology
Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of living systems to mitigate environmental pollution. Research in bioremediation in the BMRC focuses on development of technology to use bacteria and plants to mitigate environmental contamination by hydrocarbons, xenobiotics, heavy metals and metalloids. Systems under study include hydrocarbon-oxisising bacteria and a variety of plants. We have recently discovered that certain methanotrophic (methane-oxidising) bacteria are able to reduce chromate (VI) and adsorb the chromium (III) thus produced, suggesting possible applications for remediation of chromate (VI) contamination.
Biocatalysis
Our research in biocatalysis concerns the use of genetic methods to develop hydrocarbon-oxidising enzymes from bacteria for use in synthesis of fine chemicals and bioremediation. We are investigating the origin of stereoselectivity in alkene monooxygenase (AMO) from Rhodococcus rhodochrous B-276 toward more effective and environmentally friendly synthesis of chiral epoxides, which are important starting material for pharmaceutical and fine chemicals manufacture. In collaboration with Professor Colin Murrell at the University of Warwick, we are using genetic methods to study soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) from methanotrophic bacteria in order to understand the mechanism of biological methane oxidation (which is important in minimising the global greenhouse effect) and to develop sMMO for bioremediation of organic pollutants.
Research is led by Professor Tom Smith and is currently funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Phytoremediation and metal characterisation
Both living and dead plant materials have been used for the clean-up of metal contaminated effluents and soils. Investigations involving the application of sequential extraction procedures to study the distribution of metals in soils, the characterisation of metal binding to dealginated seaweed, a waste product from the alginate industry, and the study of metal uptake by plants are being undertaken.
Fundamental studies on the nature of the metal binding characteristics of the plants and soils have been carried out using a range of in-house surface characterisation techniques including environmental scanning microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition, other techniques such as solid state nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been used.
Research group leaders: Dr Philip Gardiner (phytoremediation, applications of analytical chemistry to bioremediation and environmental monitoring); Professor Tom Smith (biocatalysis, mechanism of bacteria oxidation of methane and other hydrocarbons, protein engineering of bacterial oxygenases).
