Aerobic biodegradation of trichloroethylene by microorganisms that degrade aromatic compounds
- National Chung Hsing Univ., Taichung (Taiwan, Province of China). Environmental Engineering Dept.
Aerobic biodegradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) at an initial concentration of 80 mg/L with and without the presence of an aromatic compound was conducted with a series of batch reactors. The target aromatic compounds were benzene, toluene, and catechol. The aromatics-acclimated microorganisms were used as the cell source for the batch study. The results indicated that the presence of an aromatic compound was required to initiate the aerobic biodegradation of TCE by the aromatic-utilizing microorganisms. The addition of benzene or toluene initiated the removal of TCE. However, TCE removal was not proportional to the initial concentration of the aromatic compounds. The presence of an aromatic compound at an initial concentration of 5 mg/L resulted in better TCE removal in comparison with that at 1 or 20 mg/L. TCE removal was still significant after the depletion of the aromatic compound, but at a lower rate. The presence of catechol, an intermediate of the biodegradation of an aromatic compound, did not initiate the biodegradation of TCE by the catechol-utilizing microorganisms.
- OSTI ID:
- 474257
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-005-5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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