Development of an attached-growth process for the on-site bioremediation of an aquifer polluted by chlorinated solvents

A procedure for the design of an aerobic cometabolic process for the on-site degradation of chlorinated solvents in a packed bed reactor was developed using groundwater from an aquifer contaminated by trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA). The work led to the selection of buta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biodegradation (Dordrecht) 2014-06, Vol.25 (3), p.337-350
Main Authors: Frascari, Dario, Bucchi, Giacomo, Doria, Francesco, Rosato, Antonella, Tavanaie, Nasrin, Salviulo, Raffaele, Ciavarelli, Roberta, Pinelli, Davide, Fraraccio, Serena, Zanaroli, Giulio, Fava, Fabio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic Pollution
Aquifers
Biodegradation
Biodegradation of pollutants
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biological and medical sciences
Biomass
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Bioreactors
Bioremediation
Biotechnology
Butane
Butanes
Butanes - metabolism
Chemical contaminants
Chlorination
Consortia
Degradation
Environment and pollution
Ethane - analogs & derivatives
Ethane - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Geochemistry
Groundwater - chemistry
Groundwater - microbiology
Growth
Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - metabolism
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects
Kinetics
Life Sciences
Microbial Consortia - physiology
Microbiology
Microorganisms
Original Article
Pollution
Proteins
Reactors
Soil Science & Conservation
Solvents
Temperature
Terrestrial Pollution
Trichloroethylene - metabolism
Waste Management/Waste Technology
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism
Water Pollution Control
Water, Underground
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Summary:A procedure for the design of an aerobic cometabolic process for the on-site degradation of chlorinated solvents in a packed bed reactor was developed using groundwater from an aquifer contaminated by trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA). The work led to the selection of butane among five tested growth substrates, and to the development and characterization from the site’s indigenous biomass of a suspended-cell consortium capable to degrade TCE (first order constant: 96 L g protein –1  day –1 at 30 °C and 4.3 L g protein –1  day –1 at 15 °C) with a 90 % mineralization of the organic chlorine. The consortium immobilization had strong effects on the butane and TCE degradation rates. The microbial community structure was slightly changed by a temperature shift from 30 to 15 °C, but remarkably affected by biomass adhesion. Given the higher TCE normalized degradation rate (0.59 day –1 at 15 °C) and attached biomass concentration (0.13 g protein  L bioreactor –1 at 15 °C) attained, the porous ceramic carrier Biomax was selected as the best option for the packed bed reactor process. The low TeCA degradation rate exhibited by the developed consortium suggested the inclusion of a chemical pre-treatment based on the TeCA to TCE conversion via β-elimination, a very fast reaction at alkaline pH. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this represents the first attempt to develop a procedure for the development of a packed bed reactor process for the aerobic cometabolism of chlorinated solvents.
ISSN:0923-9820
1572-9729
DOI:10.1007/s10532-013-9664-z