Use of Bioaugmentation To Stimulate Complete Reductive Dechlorination of Trichloroethene in Dover Soil Columns

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 1100 - 1109
• Main Authors: Harkness, Mark R, Bracco, Angelo A, Brennan, Michael J, DeWeerd, Kim A, Spivack, James L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.04.1999
• Subjects: ANAEROBIC TREATMENT; Applied sciences; Bacteria; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biological and medical sciences; Bioremediation; Biotechnology; CONTAMINANTES; Contamination; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; DELAWARE; DOVER AIR FORCE BASE; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; MILITARY AREAS; POLLUANT; POLLUTANTS; POLLUTED SOIL; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Soil and sediments pollution; Soils; SOL POLLUE; SUELO CONTAMINADO; TRAITEMENT ANAEROBIQUE; TRATAMIENTO ANAEROBICO; Trichloroethene; USA, Delaware, Dover; Delaware; United States; North America; America; Biodegradation; Microbial activity; Soil column; Vitamin; Sandy soil; Soil pollution; Bioaugmentation; Dechlorination; Decontamination; Organochlorine compounds; Chlorine Organic compounds; Population dynamics; Bioremediation; Electron donor; Organic compounds; Ethylene(trichloro)
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es9807690

Soil columns were constructed in support of the Remediation Technologies Development Forum accelerated biodegradation study at Dover Air Force Base to evaluate the impact of amendments on the anaerobic reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) in Dover soil. Dechlorination of TCE to cis-dichloroethene (c-DCE) was observed in the columns using lactate, lactate and methanol, butyrate, glutamate and 1,2-propanediol, or toluene as electron donors, in combination with vitamins and other supplemental nutrients. However, the c-DCE formed was not further dechlorinated using any of these amendments. Subsequent inoculation of two columns with a competent, non-native TCE-dechlorinating culture resulted in the dechlorination of TCE to ethene after 30 days. Once the culture was established, dechlorination of TCE to ethene was complete in the first several centimeters of the columns at TCE influent concentrations of 4 mg/L. The culture was also able to dechlorinate TCE to ethene when TCE influent concentrations were increased to 170 mg/L. These results suggest that a critical bacterial population was missing in these soils and that bioaugmentation is an appropriate remedial strategy under such circumstances.