skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on the in situ bioremediation of trichloroethylene

Conference ·
OSTI ID:150448
; ;  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); and others

The US Department of Energy, Office of Technology Development, has supported a field-scale in situ demonstration of trichloroethylene (TCE) bioremediation at the Westinghouse Savannah River Site (WSRS). Several methods were used to examine the influence of nitrogen and phosphorus species on TCE degradation during methane (CH{sub 4}) injection into contaminated sediments. Laboratory experiments using WSRS ground water revealed that the rate of acetate incorporation into microbial lipids was stimulated when triethyl-phosphate (TEP) or nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) was added. The trend was: CH{sub 4} + N{sub 2}O > CH{sub 4} + TEP > CH{sub 4} + N{sub 2}O + TEP > CH{sub 4} alone. The degree of stimulation of {sup 14}C-TCE mineralization in ground water incubated for 30 d in the laboratory with added methane and nutrients increased in the order: OP = TEP > NH{sub 3} + TEP = NH{sub 3} > N{sub 2}O (OP, orthophosphate; NH{sub 3}, ammonia). Monitoring of WSRS ground water revealed significant differences among sampling wells over time in nutrient concentrations, nitrogen uptake, and urease activity during operations of the bioremediation demonstration. In the field, the addition of TEP + N{sub 2}O to the pulsed injection of CH{sub 4} resulted in dramatic stimulation of TCE-degrading potentials observed in ground water enrichments. The potential to mineralize {sup 14}C-TCE in ground water enriched with nutrients in the laboratory increased from < 50% of the samples taken during injection of methane in the field to > 90% of the samples taken during the injection of CH{sup 4} + TEP + N{sub 2}O treatment. These results demonstrated the dramatic impacts of nitrogen and phosphorus supplements during the in situ bioremediation of chlorinated solvents.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
150448
Report Number(s):
CONF-940526-; TRN: 95:007973-0061
Resource Relation:
Conference: 16. symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals, Gatlinburg, TN (United States), 9-13 May 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Sixteenth symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals; Davison, B.H. [ed.] [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)]; Wyman, C.E. [ed.] [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)]; PB: 823 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English