Monitoring plant bioremediation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using open path Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry
- Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (United States)
This study addresses a viable and natural solution to the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are pollutants, through the bioremediation process. Plants and associated rhizosphere bacteria have the ability to bioremediate both volatile and non-volatile organic compounds. For volatile compounds, intersystem transfer by transpiration may be a matter for concern when plants interact with such materials. The authors have monitored, using FT-IR, the potential transfer from subsurface water in the presence of toluene-adapted alfalfa plants. These experiments show that the plants and/or their associated micro-organisms effectively degrade toluene so that potential intersystem transfer of VOCs by transpiration may be quite manageable with adapted plants. Presently, the authors are monitoring 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), chloroform (CHCl{sub 3}), and, trichloroethylene (TCE) from the subsurface water and the gas phase above the plants. TCA does not show an indication of degradation, whereas TCE does. Methane is produced in the groundwater but not transferred to the atmosphere, indicating the presence of a consortium of methanogens and methanotrophs in this soil. The TCE presumably is the substrate for methane production based on chloride ion accumulation. The majority of the TCE must be degraded aerobically to yield CO{sub 2} in the vadose zone. The FT-IR spectrometer can quickly determine and analyze contaminants in the gas phase, groundwater and plant tissue.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 491033
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9406250-; TRN: IM9729%%284
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 9. Annual conference on hazardous waste remediation, Bozeman, MT (United States), 8-10 Jun 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 9. annual conference on hazardous waste remediation; Erickson, L.E.; Tillison, D.L.; Grant, S.C.; McDonald, J.P. [eds.]; PB: 389 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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