Microbial degradation of acenaphthene and naphthalene under denitrification conditions in soil-water systems
This study examined the microbial degradation of acenaphthene and naphthalene under denitrification conditions at soil-to-water ratios of 1:25 and 1:50 with soil containing approximately 10/sup 5/ denitrifying organisms per g of soil. Under nitrate-excess conditions, both acenaphthene and naphthalene were degraded from initial aqueous-phase concentrations of about 1 and several mg/liter respectively, to nondetectable levels (<0.01 mg/liter) in less than 9 weeks. It was judged that the apparent acclimation period resulted from the time required for a small population of organisms capable of PAH degradation to attain sufficient densities to exhibit detectable PAH reduction, rather than being a result of enzyme induction, mutation, or use of preferential substrate. About 0.9% of the naturally occurring soil organic carbon could be mineralized under denitrification conditions, and this accounted for the greater proportion of the nitrate depletion. Mineralization of the labile fraction of the soil organic carbon via microbial denitrificaitonoccurred without an observed acclimation period and was rapid compared with PAH degradation. Under nitrate-limiting conditions the PAH compounds were stable owing to the depletion of nitrate via the more rapid process of soil organic carbon mineralization. Soil sorption tests showed at the initiation of a test that the total mass of PAH compound was divided in comparable proportions between solute in the aqueous phase and solute sorbed on the solid phase.
- Research Organization:
- Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC21-84FC10619
- OSTI ID:
- 6806592
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 54:5; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACENAPHTHENE
AROMATICS
BIODEGRADATION
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISORPTION
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DECOMPOSITION
DENITRIFICATION
ELEMENTS
HYDROCARBONS
MINERALIZATION
NAPHTHALENE
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEDIMENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
SORPTION