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Bubbleless dissolution of methane and hydrogen for the biodegradation of TCE and PCE

Conference · · Journal of Environmental Health; (United States)
OSTI ID:6064626
 [1];
  1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States). Dept. of Civil and Mineral Engineering

Trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are two chlorinated aliphatic compounds commonly found in contaminated ground water. The use of methane in the biodegradation of TCE and the use of hydrogen in the biotransformation of PCE offer substantial cost advantages. TCE can be oxidized by several different groups of aerobic bacteria including those that use phenol, toluene, and methane as electron donors. A bulk cost comparison of these three substrates indicates that per electron equivalent phenol is 500 times and toluene is 13 times more expensive than methane. Anaerobic enrichment cultures grown on methanol, acetate, or hydrogen have the capacity to transform PCE all the way to ethylene via reductive dechlorination. A comparison of bulk costs of these three substrates per electron equivalent transferred to methyl reductase indicates that methanol is 13 times and acetate is 6 times more expensive than hydrogen. Because both gases are slightly soluble in water, the in situ and on-site bioreclamation of ground water contaminated with TCE or PCE can be limited by the ability to dissolve the gases into water.

OSTI ID:
6064626
Report Number(s):
CONF-9310166--
Journal Information:
Journal of Environmental Health; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Health; (United States) Vol. 56:3; ISSN JEVHAH; ISSN 0022-0892
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English