Soil immobilization: New concept for biotreatment of soil contaminants

Journal Article · Fri Feb 20 00:00:00 EST 1998 · Biotechnology and Bioengineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0290(19980220)57:4<471::AID-BIT11>3.0.CO;2-F· OSTI ID:571663

Karamanev, D G; Chavarie, C; Samson, R ^[1]

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1. Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

A new concept for the development of microbial consortia for the degradation of persistent soil pollutants and for pollutant treatment is proposed. The concept defined as soil immobilization is based on the entrapment of soil particles, showing microbial activity in degrading the target pollutant, into a solid membrane with a large pore size distribution. The particular hydrodynamic and mass transfer properties of this system result in a very efficient process. A new type of bioreactor is proposed for carrying out the immobilized soil process. The performance of the system was tested by developing a microbial system for the mineralization of pentachlorophenol (PCP). The results show that the volumetric efficiency of the process for PCP mineralization in the immobilized soil bioreactor is 1--3 orders of magnitude higher than reported literature values. Chlorine and carbon atoms of PCP are both nearly completely (99%) mineralized.

• OSTI ID: 571663
• Journal Information: Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. 57, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: 20 Feb 1998
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIODEGRADATION
REMEDIAL ACTION
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SOILS
BIOREACTORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING