# Expanding the Tool Box: Environmental Metabolomics Improves Decision Making and Management of Contaminated (Superfund) Sites

> **NIH NIH R43** · MICROBIAL INSIGHTS, INC. · 2020 · $55,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Metabolomics is a relatively novel Molecular Biological Tool (MBT), which employs highly
sensitive instrumentation to obtain a measure of all small organic molecules present in a biological
sample. Contemporary MBTs rely on quantitative PCR and measure the presence and
abundance of keystone bacteria (e.g., Dehalococcoides) involved in the detoxification of priority
contaminants such as chlorinated ethenes; however, the current tools fall short of informing about
actual in situ dechlorination activity. Metabolomics measures small molecules that directly relate
to active metabolism, and provides key insights into microbial community function and health.
Chlorinated ethenes are among the most common contaminants impacting Superfund sites.
Detoxification can be achieved by organohalide-respiring bacteria (e.g., Dehalococcoides) via
stepwise reductive dechlorination to environmentally benign ethene; however, the degradation
process often stalls at the toxic and carcinogenic intermediates cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE)
and vinyl chloride (VC). MBTs applied in contemporary monitoring regimes cannot predict the
occurrence of stalls, and costly remediation strategy changes are required. Laboratory
experiments demonstrated that metabolomics distinguishes healthy microbiomes from “sick”
microbiomes and predicts degradation stalls or when ethene formation occurs. An MBT with these
capabilities would greatly reduce overall project costs and management time, streamline the
implementation of the most promising remedy, contribute to early site closures, and thus be a
valuable asset to the remediation industry with tangible benefits to the U.S. tax payer. The
proposed study will demonstrate the value and utility of the metabolomics approach as a
prognostic and diagnostic monitoring tool for the remediation industry, and develop a path towards
commercialization of this MBT.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10044487
- **Project number:** 3R43ES030669-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** MICROBIAL INSIGHTS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Dora M Taggart
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $55,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-02-03 → 2021-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10044487

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10044487, Expanding the Tool Box: Environmental Metabolomics Improves Decision Making and Management of Contaminated (Superfund) Sites (3R43ES030669-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10044487. Licensed CC0.

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