Degradation of Trichloroethylene by Methanotrophic Bacteria in a Laboratory Column of Saturated Aquifer Material

A laboratory experiment was designed to investigate the biotransformation of trichloroethylene (TCE) by bacteria using methane as a primary substrate under conditions simulating a contaminated aquifer. Solid material was acquired aseptically from an uncontaminated shallow confined aquifer and packed...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water science and technology 1988-01, Vol.20 (11-12), p.175-178
Main Authors: Mayer, K P, Grbic-Galic, D, Semprini, L, McCarty, P L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquifers
Bacteria
Biodegradation
Biotransformation
Carbon dioxide
Confined aquifers
Freshwater
ground water
Groundwater
groundwater pollution
Groundwater treatment
Hydrogen peroxide
Laboratories
Laboratory experimentation
Methane
Methane utilization
Methanotrophic bacteria
Oxygen
Solvents
Substrates
Transformations
Trichloroethene
Trichloroethylene
water treatment
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A laboratory experiment was designed to investigate the biotransformation of trichloroethylene (TCE) by bacteria using methane as a primary substrate under conditions simulating a contaminated aquifer. Solid material was acquired aseptically from an uncontaminated shallow confined aquifer and packed in glass columns. The relationship between the methane and oxygen supplied, bacterial growth, and TCE transformation was examined in an attempt to optimize a potentially applicable process of in situ treatment of ground water. Approximately 20 percent of the 14C-labelled TCE, at an initial concentration of 50 µg/L, was transformed to CO2. A five-fold increase in the rate at which methane and oxygen were supplied to the columns resulted in no substantial increase in TCE transformation. The sorption of TCE onto aquifer solids may have obscured treatment differences. Addition of hydrogen peroxide as the source of oxygen caused a decrease in methane utilization, although the impact on TCE transformation is not yet clear.
ISSN:0273-1223
1996-9732
DOI:10.2166/wst.1988.0281