Anaerobic microbial transformation of aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures of aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated solvents. Final report, 30 September 1988-31 March 1992

Technical Report · Tue Aug 25 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6599419

Edwards, E A; Liang, L N; Dunia, G G

Anaerobic microbial transformation of monoaromatic hydrocarbons (NM), chlorinated benzenes (CB), and mixtures of MAH and CB, as well as MAH and chlorinated aliphatic solvents (tetrachloroethylene -- PCE, and carbon tetrachloride -CT) was studied in laboratory microcosms derived from hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater aquifers. Some MAH , such as toluene and o-xylene, were completely degraded to CO 2 and CH by mixed methanogenic cultures from a creosote-contaminated aquifer. This degradation was inhibited by the addition of accessory electron acceptors (oxygen, nitrate, sulfate), indicating acclimation of the microbial community to methanogenic conditions. The addition of preferred substrates, such as acetate, propionate, methanol, fatty acids, glucose, casamino acids, pepton, yeast extract, or acetone also inhibited MAH degradation, indicating that the presence of natural organic substrates may preclude anaerobic biodegradation of in situ. Cyclohexane, CT, and high concentrations of toluene and o-xylene had a toxic effect. Under sulfate-reducing conditions, several MAH -- toluene, all three xylene isomers, and benzene were mineralized to CO by microorganisms from a petroleum-contaminated, sulfidogenic aquifer. Whereas 2 toluene and xylenes were sequentially degraded in a mixture, benzene was degraded only if alone, or slowly transformed in a mixture with toluene. This explains previously reported recalcitrance of benzene under anaerobic conditions. The addition of preferred substrates (lactate, glucose, or yeast extract) to the cultures temporarily inhibited the degradation of MAH. Methanogenic microcosms from the creosote-contaminated aquifer reductively dechlorinated hexa-, penta-, tetra-, tri-, and di-chlorobenzene.

• Research Organization: Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering
• OSTI ID: 6599419
• Report Number(s): AD-A-260498/1/XAB; CE--319; CNN: AFOSR-88-0351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACETATES
ACETONE
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ALKANES
ALKENES
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
AQUIFERS
AROMATICS
ATMOSPHERES
BENZENE
BIODEGRADATION
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHLOROFORM
COMMUNITIES
CONTAMINATION
CREOSOTE
CYCLOALKANES
CYCLOHEXANE
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHYLENE
EUMYCOTA
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
FUNGI
GLUCOSE
GROUND WATER
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEXOSES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
ISOMERS
KETONES
LABORATORIES
LACTATES
METABOLITES
METHANE
METHANOL
MICROCOSMS
MICROORGANISMS
MICROSCOPY
MONOSACCHARIDES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PLANTS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SACCHARIDES
SOLVENTS
SUBSTRATES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOLUENE
TOXICITY
WATER
XYLENES
YEASTS