Intrinsic bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater at the Phoenix Pipeline Terminal, Arizona
- Shell Development Co., Houston, TX (United States). Westhollow Technology Center
- Parsons Engineering Science, Inc., Denver, CO (United States)
The intrinsic bioremediation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) dissolved in groundwater was evaluated at the Phoenix Pipeline Terminal (PPT) in Phoenix, Arizona. Three lines of evidence were used to document the occurrence of intrinsic bioremediation at the PPT site, including: (1) documented loss of contaminants at the field scale; (2) geochemical evidence, and (3) direct microbial evidence. Data collected from 1988 to 1994 indicate that the extent of the dissolved BTEX plume has not increased, and that contaminant concentrations have generally decreased during this period. Comparison of BTEX, electron acceptor, and biodegradation byproduct isopleth maps suggests that biodegradation of BTEX is occurring at the site via aerobic respiration and the anaerobic processes of denitrification, iron reduction, and sulfate reduction. Direct evidence of the existence of a viable microbial population capable of consuming BTEX compounds was provided through enumeration of the total microbial population and the population of BTEX-degrading organisms. First-order biodegradation rates for the BTEX compounds were computed from field data.Calculated rates suggest that biodegradation accounts for the destruction of approximately 0.9% of the dissolved BTEX mass per day.
- OSTI ID:
- 398131
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960393--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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