Anaerobic biotransformation of trichlorofluoroethene in groundwater microcosms

Journal Article · Tue Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es9811952· OSTI ID:6335472

Vancheeswaran, S; Semprini, L ^[1]; Hyman, M R ^[2]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States). Dept. of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
2. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Dept. of Microbiology

The biological reduction of trichlorofluoroethene (TCFE) was investigated in anaerobic groundwater microcosms. TCFE was reductively dehalogenated by microorganisms to produce three dichlorofluoroethene isomers, with cis-1,2-dichlorofluoroethene (c-DCFE) being the main isomer formed. Further sequential biological transformation of these compounds to mono-chlorofluoroethene isomers was incomplete and occurred at much slower rates. The rates of TCFE reduction were compared to the rates of reduction of two common chlorinated solvents, perchloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE), when present at similar concentrations. Aqueous concentrations ranged from 7.0 to 14.0 mg/L for TCFE and from 7.5 to 15.0 mg/L for PCE and TCE. Similar rates of PCE and TCE transformation relative to TCFE were observed in single-compound tests (PCE, TCE, and TCFE in separate microcosms) and when the contaminants were present together as mixtures in the microcosms. The close similarities between the time course and kinetics of TCFE degradation and the degradation of both PCE and TCE, when present at comparable initial concentrations, suggest that TCFE could potentially be used as a benign reactive tracer to measure in-situ rates of PCE and TCE transformation in contaminated environments.

• OSTI ID: 6335472
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Vol. 33:12; ISSN ESTHAG; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DECOMPOSITION
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MICROCOSMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REMEDIAL ACTION
WATER