Surfactant use with nitrate-based bioremediation
- Environmental Protection Agency, Ada, OK (United States). R.S. Kerr Environmental Research Lab.
This study presents results of an initial survey on the effect of six surfactants on the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in bioremediation applications using nitrate as the electron acceptor. Aquifer material from Park City, Kansas, was used for the study. The three atomic surfactants chosen were Steol CS-330, Dowfax 8390 and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS); the three nonionic surfactants were T-MAZ-60, Triton X-100, and Igepal CO-660. Both Steol CS-330 and T-MAZ-60 biodegraded under denitrifying conditions. The Steol inhibited biodegradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes (BTEXTMB). Only toluene was rapidly degraded in the presence of T-MAZ-60. Biodegradation of all compounds, including toluene, appears to be inhibited by Dowfax 8390 and SDBS. No biodegradation of Dowfax 8390 or SDBS was observed. SDBS inhibited denitrification, but Dowfax 8390 did not. For the microcosms containing Triton X-100 or Igepal CO-660, removal of toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, 1,3,5-TMB, and 1,2,4-TMB were similar to their removals in the no-surfactant treatment. These two surfactants did not biodegrade, did not inhibit biodegradation of the alkylbenzenes, and did not inhibit denitrification. Further studies are continuing with aquifer material from Eglin Air Force Base.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 484945
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-009-8
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbons by aquifer microorganisms under denitrifying conditions
Effect of sub and super CXC levels of surfactant concentrations on the dechlorination of 2{prime},3,4-trichlorobiphenyl