Field Evaluation of in Situ Aerobic Cometabolism of Trichloroethylene and Three Dichloroethylene Isomers Using Phenol and Toluene as the Primary Substrates

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 1628 - 1637
• Main Authors: Hopkins, Gary D., McCarty, Perry L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.06.1995
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Exact sciences and technology; Pollution; Soil and sediments pollution; Biodegradation; Performance evaluation; Substrate; Aliphatic compound; Chlorocarbon; Aerobe; Soil pollution; Ethylene(trichloro); Field study
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es00006a029

In cometabolism, an enzyme used by microorganisms for initiating primary substrate oxidation is used to transform other compounds. At the Moffett Federal Airfield in California, the in situ biotransformation of trichloroethylene and three dichloroethylene isomers was examined using phenol and toluene as the primary substrates. Both phenol and toluene were added in pulses during their respectively evaluations. The stimulus response tests were conducted using augmented groundwater. Removal efficiencies for 250 and 125 mu g/l of trichloroethylene and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, respectively, were greater than 90%. trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene removal reached 74%, and good removals were also found for vinyl chloride. However, only 50% removal was found for 1,1-dichloroethylene, which also exhibited significant product toxicity. Hydrogen peroxide was found to be a suitable alternative electron acceptor to molecular oxygen when added at a concentration that did not permit O sub(2) to exceed its solubility in water.