Anaerobic BTEX biodegradation in laboratory microcosms and in situ columns

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:464892

Hunt, M J; Barlaz, M A; Borden, R C ^[1]; Beckman, M A ^[2]

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1. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering
2. B.P. Barber and Associates, Inc., North Charlestown, SC (United States)

Assessing the potential for natural bioremediation in the subsurface is complicated by site-specific conditions and the methods used to estimate biodegradation rates. Controlled laboratory experiments often are necessary to verify biological loss of a compound and to assess factors that influence biodegradation. However, the effect of removing samples from such a stable environment and placing them in laboratory microcosms is not fully understood. Sample removal clearly changes spatial relationships in the indigenous microbial community and could influence results obtained in the laboratory. In situ columns have been used to measure biodegradation on a limited basis, and little is known about their reliability. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the use of laboratory microcosms and in situ column experiments for estimating intrinsic biodegradation rates of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers) in the subsurface. This research was conducted at a petroleum-contaminated aquifer in the southeastern coastal plain of North Carolina.

• Sponsoring Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 464892
• Report Number(s): CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-002-0
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BENZENE
BIODEGRADATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
NORTH CAROLINA
OIL SPILLS
TOLUENE
XYLENES