Biodegradation of creosote and pentachlorophenol in contaminated groundwater: Chemical and biological assessment
- Southern Bio Products, Inc., Gulf Breeze, FL (USA)
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL (USA)
Shake flask studies examined the rate and extent of biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 42 components of coal-tar creosote present in contaminated groundwater recovered from the American Creosote Works Superfund site, Pensacola, FL. The ability of indigenous soil microorganisms to remove these contaminants from aqueous solutions was determined by gas chromatographic analysis of organic extracts of biotreated groundwater. Changes in potential environmental and human health hazards associated with the biodegradation of this material were determined at intervals by Microtox assays and fish toxicity and teratogenicity tests. After 14 days of incubation at 30C, indigenous microorganisms effectively removed 100, 99, 94, 88, and 87% of measured phenolic and lower-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) and S-heterocyclic, N-heterocyclic, and O-heterocyclic constituents of creosote, respectively. However, only 53% of the higher-molecular-weight PAHS were degraded; PCP was not removed. Despite the removal of a majority of the organic contaminants through biotreatment, only a slight decrease in the toxicity and teratogenicity of biotreated groundwater was observed. Data suggest that toxicity and teratogenicity are associated with compounds difficult to treat biologically and that one may not necessarily rely on indigenous microorganisms to effectively remove these compounds in a reasonable time span.
- OSTI ID:
- 5272873
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 57:5; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CLEANING
CREOSOTE
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
FISHES
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAWS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SCREENING
SUPERFUND
TERATOGEN SCREENING
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION