Method of degrading pollutants in soil

Patent · Tue Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:7173190

Hazen, T C; Lopez-De-Victoria, G

Disclosed are a method and system for enhancing the motility of microorganisms. This is accomplished by placing an effective amount of chlorinated hydrocarbons, preferably chlorinated alkenes, and most preferably trichloroethylene in spaced relation to the microbes so that the surprisingly strong, monomodal, chemotactic response of the chlorinated hydrocarbon on subsurface microbes can draw the microbes away from or towards and into a substance, as desired. In remediation of groundwater pollution, for example, TCE can be injected into the plume to increase the population of microbes at the plume whereby the plume can be more quickly degraded. A TCE-degrading microbe, such as Welchia alkenophilia, can be used to degrade the TCE following the degradation of the original pollutant. 5 figures.

• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5326703; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-896762
• OSTI ID: 7173190
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 10 Jun 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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