Strategy using bioreactors and specially selected microorganisms for bioremediation of groundwater contaminated with creosote and pentachlorophenol
A two-stage, continuous-flow, sequential inoculation bioreactor strategy for the bioremediation of ground water contaminated with creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP) was evaluated at the bench- and pilot-scale levels. Performance of continually stirred tank reactors (CSTR) using specially-selected microorganisms was assessed according to chemical analyses of system influent, effluent and bioreactor residues, performing a mass balance evaluation, and comparative biological toxicity and teratogenicity measurements. When specially-selected bacteria capable of utilizing (mineralizing) high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW PAHs) as primary growth substrates were used in pilot-sale bioreactors (120 gal), the concentration of creosote constituents was reduced from ca. 1,000 ppm in the ground water feed (flow rate = 30 GPD) to <7 ppm in the system effluent (removal efficiency of >99%). Notably, the cumulative concentration of 8 HMS PAHs (containing 4 or more fused rings) was reduced from 368 ppm in the ground water fed to 5.2 ppm in the system effluent. Moreover, the toxicity and teratogenicity of the bioreactor effluent was significantly reduced. Biodegradation of PCP was limited (ca. 18%) due in large part to poor inoculation and a high degree of abiotic loss (bioaccumulation and adsorption). In general, field data correlated well with those obtained from bench-scale studies.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL (United States). Environmental Research Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 6315329
- Report Number(s):
- PB-93-205003/XAB; EPA--600/J-93/217
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Biodegradation of creosote and pentachlorophenol in contaminated groundwater: Chemical and biological assessment
Biodegradation of creosote and pentachlorophenol in contaminated ground-water: Chemical and biological assessment
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADSORPTION
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BIODEGRADATION
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOREACTORS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL WASTES
CHEMISTRY
CONTAMINATION
CONTROL
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
CREOSOTE
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
EFFICIENCY
EVALUATED DATA
FLOW RATE
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GROUND WATER
GROWTH
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INOCULATION
MANY-BODY PROBLEM
MASS BALANCE
MICROORGANISMS
MITIGATION
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOL
PHENOLS
PILOT PLANTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
REMEDIAL ACTION
RESIDUES
RINGS
SEQUENTIAL SCANNING
SORPTION
SUBSTRATES
TOXICITY
TWO-BODY PROBLEM
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL