Board 322: Introducing Bio Mediated Methodologies in Geotechnical Engineering  through Course-based Undergraduate Experiences (CUREs):  Mitigating Fugitive Dust Effects by Using Urease in Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP)

Anna Marti-Subirana; Frank S Marfai; Elena Ortiz Zuazaga; Robin Cotter

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topic: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 4
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/46902

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Paper Authors

biography

Anna Marti-Subirana Phoenix College

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Anna Martí-Subirana is a faculty member in the Biosciences Department at Phoenix College, where she teaches General Biology for Majors I (BIO 181) and BIO 247 (Applied Biosciences: Biotechnology), a course intended to prepare students for internships in bioscience and biomedical research labs. Born and raised in Barcelona (Spain), she has an MS in Molecular Biology and Genetics, and a PhD in Developmental Neurobiology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Dr. Martí-Subirana graduated and did postdoctoral work at UAB and later at
Northwestern University and the University of Iowa College of Medicine focused on the role of glial cells during neuronal migration, and on genes and transcription factors that specify neuronal fate. As a STEM-CURE (NSF award 1832543) faculty, her responsibilities include introducing research projects in the undergraduate courses she teaches with a focus on improving STEM and STEM-related workforce skills and preparedness. Dr. Martí-Subirana also holds an MA in English and American Literature from Arizona State University; she is very active in the campus community in promoting interdisciplinary and collaborative projects that include industry, social and community awareness and service, humanities, science, engineering, and technology.

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Abstract

Man-caused erosion and generation of dust are phenomena usually related to civil construction and mining activities of significant economic, societal, environmental, and health-related consequences. Even though fugitive dust is not a traditional civil engineering problem, it has become, in recent years, a societal-civic problem that has got the attention of civil and geotechnical engineering alike, as it can deplete and contaminate already scarce natural resources, such as surface water and groundwater basins. Strategies for dust control and mine tailing stabilization based on naturally occurring or induced chemical or biological processes present a more sustainable alternative to traditional dust control methods, especially those that rely on large volumes of water. Enzymes play a major role in mediating a variety of biochemical processes that are essential to all living organisms and can also be used in engineering for beneficial purposes; for example, control of fugitive dust emissions by enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP). This project attempts to analyze the efficacy of Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP), a bio-enzyme (urease) mediated dust control method, on selected soil samples under experimental conditions applying techniques routinely used in geotechnical engineering research. Phoenix College students in BIO 181 (Introductory Biology for Majors I) are introduced to the role the enzyme urease can play in making carbonate precipitation more effective by increasing the rate of precipitation by a factor of 109. Students are then introduced to the problems associated with erosion and dust generation and to how EICP can be harnessed to provide a more sustainable method for controlling dust than conventional methods, highlighting the importance of urease in this process. Students are then asked to list environmental factors that can impact the efficacy of urease in catalyzing EICP, and what experimental design needs to be in place to test that. The project is designed and implemented as a CURE (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences) in BIO 181 labs, a transfer course for science and engineering majors. All students enrolled in these lab courses execute the project from start to finish with the assistance at all times of the instructor and student mentors. If possible, experts in the topic are invited to the lab to give a brief introduction to the topic and to stress its relevance to the community and to society at large. The experiment expands for 6-8 weeks out of a 16- week semester. Through this project, students gain a better understanding of enzyme activity, bio mediation, applications of bio mediation to environmental problems and geotechnical engineering, interdisciplinary collaboration, engineering design, and the process of science. The project is in collaboration with NSF funded Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (CBBG) at Arizona State University and supported by NSF award 1832543.

Citation
Format

Marti-Subirana, A., & Marfai, F. S., & Ortiz Zuazaga, E., & Cotter, R. (2024, June), Board 322: Introducing Bio Mediated Methodologies in Geotechnical Engineering through Course-based Undergraduate Experiences (CUREs): Mitigating Fugitive Dust Effects by Using Urease in Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46902

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Man-caused erosion and generation of dust are phenomena usually related to civil construction and mining activities of significant economic, societal, environmental, and health-related consequences.  Even though fugitive dust is not a traditional civil engineering problem, it has become, in recent years, a societal-civic problem that has got the attention of civil and geotechnical engineering alike, as it can deplete and contaminate already scarce natural resources, such as surface water and groundwater basins.  Strategies for dust control and mine tailing stabilization based on naturally occurring or induced chemical or biological processes present a more sustainable alternative to traditional dust control methods, especially those that rely on large volumes of water.  Enzymes play a major role in mediating a variety of biochemical processes that are essential to all living organisms and can also be used in engineering for beneficial purposes; for example, control of fugitive dust emissions by enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP).  This project attempts to analyze the efficacy of Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP), a bio-enzyme (urease) mediated dust control method, on selected soil samples under experimental conditions applying techniques routinely used in geotechnical engineering research.
Phoenix College students in BIO 181 (Introductory Biology for Majors I) are introduced to the role the enzyme urease can play in making carbonate precipitation more effective by increasing the rate of precipitation by a factor of 109.  Students are then introduced to the problems associated with erosion and dust generation and to how EICP can be harnessed to provide a more sustainable method for controlling dust than conventional methods, highlighting the importance of urease in this process.   Students are then asked to list environmental factors that can impact the efficacy of urease in catalyzing EICP, and what experimental design needs to be in place to test that.  The project is designed and implemented as a CURE (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences) in BIO 181 labs, a transfer course for science and engineering majors. All students enrolled in these lab courses execute the project from start to finish with the assistance at all times of the instructor and student mentors.  If possible, experts in the topic are invited to the lab to give a brief introduction to the topic and to stress its relevance to the community and to society at large.  The experiment expands for 6-8 weeks out of a 16- week semester.  Through this project, students gain a better understanding of enzyme activity, bio mediation, applications of bio mediation to environmental problems and geotechnical engineering, interdisciplinary collaboration, engineering design, and the process of science.  The project is in collaboration with NSF funded Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (CBBG) at Arizona State University and supported by NSF award 1832543.
AU  - Anna Marti-Subirana
AU  - Frank S Marfai
AU  - Elena Ortiz Zuazaga
AU  - Robin Cotter
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Board 322: Introducing Bio Mediated Methodologies in Geotechnical Engineering  through Course-based Undergraduate Experiences (CUREs):  Mitigating Fugitive Dust Effects by Using Urease in Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP)
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/46902
ER  -