Stimulation of the reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethene in anaerobic aquifer microcosms by the addition of toluene

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00017a024· OSTI ID:5121379

Sewell, G W ^[1]; Gibson, S A ^[2]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Ada, OK (United States)
2. NSI Technology Services Corp., Ada, OK (United States)

Chlorinated solvents are among the most common industrial contaminants of groundwater. Tetrachloroethene (PCE) is resistant to aerobic biodegradation; however, it is occasionally reductively dechlorinated in anoxic contaminated aquifers (2, 3). This is particularly true if the subsurface also contains other organic compounds that can serve as electron donors and whose utilization by subsurface bacteria will deplete the available oxygen. Certain alkylbenzenes, such as toluene, could potentially serve as electron donors for the reductive dechlorination of PCE. Field studies conducted by this laboratory have suggested that this may indeed be occurring at field sites exposed to both alkylbenzenes and chlorinated solvents. In this study, the biologically mediated interactions of toluene and PCE under anaerobic conditions were investigated by using microcosms constructed with aquifer solids from an area that was exposed to both alkylbenzenes and chlorinated ethenes at the US Coast Guard Air Station, in Traverse City, Michigan. The results of this study indicate that toluene can act as an initial source of reducing potential for the reductive dechlorination of chloroethenes under anaerobic conditions. Also, the cultivation of this consortium from a site impacted by alkylbenzenes and chloroethenes is an indication that this process may occur in contaminated aquifers.

• OSTI ID: 5121379
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States) Vol. 25:5; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKANES
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
AQUIFERS
AROMATICS
BINDING ENERGY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CLEANING
DECHLORINATION
DECONTAMINATION
DEHALOGENATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ENERGY
FERMIONS
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
LEPTONS
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
METHANE
MICROCOSMS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
REACTION INTERMEDIATES
REDUCTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SULFIDES
SPECTROSCOPY
SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENTS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOLUENE
VALENCE