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Relating BTEX degradation to the biogeochemistry of an anaerobic aquifer

Conference ·
OSTI ID:464894
; ;  [1]
  1. CSIRO Div. of Water Resources, Perth (Australia). Perth Lab.
Trends in chemical and microbiological parameters in a petroleum hydrocarbon plume within anaerobic groundwater have been studied. Previously, microbial degradation of the hydrocarbon compounds had been substantiated by the use of deuterated hydrocarbons to determine natural (intrinsic) degradation rates within the contaminant plume. Here, sulfate concentration decreases, Eh decreases, and hydrogen sulfide and bicarbonate concentration increases are shown to be associated with the contaminant plume. These trends indicate microbial degradation of the benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) compounds by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Stoichiometry indicates that other consortia of bacteria play a role in the degradation of the hydrocarbons. Total microbial cell numbers were higher within the plume than in the uncontaminated groundwater. There is, however, no direct correlation between total microbial cell numbers, and BTEX, sulfate, bicarbonate, and hydrogen sulfide concentrations within the plume.
OSTI ID:
464894
Report Number(s):
CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-002-0
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English