Biodegradation of Trichloroethylene and Dichloromethane in Contaminated Soil and Groundwater

Abstract

Soil column and serum bottle microcosm experiments were conducted to investigate the potential for in situ anaerobic bioremediation of trichloroethy lene (TCE) and dichloromethane (DCM) at the Pinellas site near Largo, Florida. Soil columns with continuous groundwater recycle were used to evaluate treatment with complex nutrients (casamino acids, methanol, lactate, sulfate); benzoate and sulfate; and methanol. The complex nutrients drove microbial dechlorination of TCE to ethene, whereas the benzoate/sulfate and methanol supported microbial dechlorination of TCE only to cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cDCE). Microbial sulfate depletion in the benzoate/sulfate column allowed further dechlorination of cDCE to vinyl chloride. Serum bottle microcosms were used to investigate TCE dechlorination and DCM biodegradation in Pinellas soil slurries bioaugmented with liquid from the soil columns possessing TCE-dechlorinating activity and DCM biodegradation by indigenous microorganisms. Bioaugmented soil microcosms showed immediate TCE dechlorination in the microcosms with methanol or complex nutrients, but no dechlorination in the benzoate/sulfate microcosm. DCM biodegradation by indigenous microorganisms occurred in soil microcosms amended with either benzoate/sulfate or methanol, but not with complex nutrients. Bioaugmentation stimulated DCM biodegradation in both complex nutrient and methanol-amended microcosms, but appeared to inhibit DCM biodegradation in benzoate/sulfate-amended microcosms. TCE dechlorination occurred before DCM biodegradation in bioaugmented microcosms when both compounds were present.