EESS talk on "Microbial biotransformation of contaminants: Exploring the structure-environment-biodegradability conundrum"
Event details
| Date | 12.04.2022 |
| Hour | 12:15 › 13:15 |
| Speaker | Prof. Kathrin Fenner, Group Leader, Environmental Fate Modeling, Department of Environmental Chemistry, EAWAG |
| Location | Online |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
| Event Language | English |
Abstract:
Degradation by microbial communities reduces environmental exposure to chemicals. The ability to accurately predict rates and products of microbial biotransformation for a broad variety of chemicals is therefore essential not only for chemical risk management but also in the context of developing new, environmentally safe chemicals. Prediction requires a thorough understanding of the various factors leading to observed biotransformation half-lives and pathways under different environmental conditions.
In my talk, I will discuss experimental and data mining approaches that we employ to improve our understanding of why and how biotransformation efficiency differs between microbial communities, how these differences are modulated by chemical structure and environmental conditions, and how these insights support working towards the goal of predicting biotransformation. In the more mechanism-oriented part of my lecture, I will report on two large-scale biotransformation studies, one with activated sludge communities and one at the wastewater treatment plant-river interface, that allowed us to identify linkages between environmental conditions, community characteristics and their biotransformation potential for different classes of chemicals. In the more applied part of my lecture, I will present our efforts in biotransformation databases, development of in silico tools for the prediction of biotransformation and extrapolation of biotransformation half-lives across different environmental compartments, and discuss how such tools can potentially support the design of degradable chemicals.
Short biography:
Dr. Kathrin Fenner is Associate Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the Chemistry Department of the University of Zurich (Switzerland) and a senior scientist and group leader at the Department of Environmental Chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). Her research focuses on experimental and model-based approaches to gain an in-depth understanding of chemical persistence in the environment. The goal of her research is to not only improve current hazard assessment schemes but also provide tools and design principles for better degradable compounds and efficient approaches to bioremediation. In 2015, she received an ERC Consolidator grant to support this line of research. She has published more than 90 scientific research articles in the field of environmental science. Kathrin chairs the section of “Chemistry and the Environment” of the Swiss Chemical Society, and has served as Associate Editor with Environmental Sciences: Water Research & Technology up until recently.
Degradation by microbial communities reduces environmental exposure to chemicals. The ability to accurately predict rates and products of microbial biotransformation for a broad variety of chemicals is therefore essential not only for chemical risk management but also in the context of developing new, environmentally safe chemicals. Prediction requires a thorough understanding of the various factors leading to observed biotransformation half-lives and pathways under different environmental conditions.
In my talk, I will discuss experimental and data mining approaches that we employ to improve our understanding of why and how biotransformation efficiency differs between microbial communities, how these differences are modulated by chemical structure and environmental conditions, and how these insights support working towards the goal of predicting biotransformation. In the more mechanism-oriented part of my lecture, I will report on two large-scale biotransformation studies, one with activated sludge communities and one at the wastewater treatment plant-river interface, that allowed us to identify linkages between environmental conditions, community characteristics and their biotransformation potential for different classes of chemicals. In the more applied part of my lecture, I will present our efforts in biotransformation databases, development of in silico tools for the prediction of biotransformation and extrapolation of biotransformation half-lives across different environmental compartments, and discuss how such tools can potentially support the design of degradable chemicals.
Short biography:
Dr. Kathrin Fenner is Associate Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the Chemistry Department of the University of Zurich (Switzerland) and a senior scientist and group leader at the Department of Environmental Chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). Her research focuses on experimental and model-based approaches to gain an in-depth understanding of chemical persistence in the environment. The goal of her research is to not only improve current hazard assessment schemes but also provide tools and design principles for better degradable compounds and efficient approaches to bioremediation. In 2015, she received an ERC Consolidator grant to support this line of research. She has published more than 90 scientific research articles in the field of environmental science. Kathrin chairs the section of “Chemistry and the Environment” of the Swiss Chemical Society, and has served as Associate Editor with Environmental Sciences: Water Research & Technology up until recently.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Prof. Rizlan Bernier-Latmani, EML