Intrinsic dechlorination of trichloroethene to ethene in a bedrock aquifer
- Beak Consultants Ltd., Guelph, Ontario (Canada)
- General Electric Co., Albany, NY (United States)
Trichloroethane (TCE) is being sequentially dechlorinated to ethene in a fractured bedrock aquifer system beneath and downgradient from evaporation pits and a closed waste-solvent storage tank at an inactive manufacturing facility in upstate New York. The relative lateral distributions of TCE, 1,2-dichloroethene (1,2-DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and ethene in the groundwater in the bedrock indicate that the migration of the chlorinated ethenes is being impacted by biologically mediated dechlorination. The biological activity has developed and is being maintained by acetone and methanol in the groundwater, which were disposed of along with TCE in the evaporation pits and waste-solvent storage tank. Evidence of sulfate depletion and methane and acetate production indicates that sulfate-reducing, methanogenic, and acetogenic bacteria are active in the bedrock. Isotopic analysis of methane indicates that the origin of the methane is biotic and not thermogenic. The distribution of the carbon and deuterium isotopes of the methane indicates that the methane was produced in the bedrock. This study provides evidence that microorganisms in a fractured bedrock aquifer can intrinsically dechlorinate TCE to ethene.
- OSTI ID:
- 464903
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-002-0
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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