Continuing Exploration of NMR Imaging of Microorganisms in Porous Media Using NMR Microscopy
EMSL Project ID
3313
Abstract
We have previously explored the use of NMR microscopy for imaging microorganisms in porous media via a variety of methods (T1+diffusion weighting imaging; flow-weighted imaging; images constructed by particle size filtering) with some successes (but generally not the unequivocal results that we have been seeking). In this proposal, we seek to extend this work on the basis of what we have learned so far and by the addition of a new technique that holds promise for improving the sensitivity of such measurements. Our goals for this proposal are as follows:(1) To explore the use of monoclonal antibodies (specific to the microorganism under study) conjugated to metal particles for improving sensitivity in NMR microscopy. Monoclonal antibodies conjugated to magnetite have been used widely to separte bacteria using magnetic gradients. For this work we hope to explore the use of both gadolinium particles as well as superparamagnetic magnetite for imaging purposes. The second method (magnetite), if employed, will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Virginia.
(2) To refine earlier methods that used the combination of T1 and diffusion-weighting for imaging microbial biomass in porous media. Previous efforts yielded results after observing a shift in the intensity pixelmap when biofilms were present. We would like to conduct some carefully-controlled ancillary experiments in 2-D systems in a combined confocal/NMR microscope to verify that this change in the pixemap intensity does in fact correlate with the presence of microbial biomass.
The ability to image biofilms in porous media has a variety of important applications ranging from bioremediation in the subsuface to product formation in engineered bioreactors. We hope that continued exploration of NMR techniques in this area may yield results that can be used in part to secure DOE funding for continued research (e.g., the Genomes to Life Program [Sc]; NABIR [Sc]).
Project Details
Project type
Capability Research
Start Date
2003-06-08
End Date
2004-04-09
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members
Related Publications
Wood BD, F Golfier, PD Majors, M Quintard, and S Whitaker. 2004. "Biofilms in Porous Media: Upscaling Conservation Equations and Measurement of Microbial Distributions via NMR." Biofilms 2004: Structure and Activity of Biofilms Conference, Las Vegas, NV.