Ecological Design, Phytoremediation, Microbial Ecology
THE BALCOM LAB
Northern Vermont University
PHYTOREMEDIATION OF AGED PETROLEUM CONTAMINATED SOIL
2015-1017
Soil excavated from an underground storage tank was remediated using native trees and shrubs. A layer of wood chips was applied to the top of the soil piles to provide a vapor barrier of microbial, fungal and organic matter.
MYCOREMEDIATION OF PETROLEUM CONTAMINATED SOIL
2015-2018
Soil excavated from a leaking underground diesel storage tank was remediated using fungal spawn mixed with wood shavings from a local cabinet shop. Complete biodegradation of the petroleum contamination was achieved in 3 summers.
MICROBIAL ECOLOGY AND PHARMACEUTICAL REMOVAL IN AN ECOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
2013-2016
Ecological wastewater treatment plants utilize microbial processes to treat human wastewater, but how are they removing pharmaceuticals? This project examines the hypothesis that the microbial populations surrounding plant roots immersed in the wastewater have the capacity to remove micro pollutants such as pharmaceuticals. We utilized metagenome sequencing to examine the composition and metabolic diversity of the microbial communities growing on the surface plant roots immersed in wastewater.
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