Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) evaluation of degradation of chlorinated benzenes (CBs) and benzene in a contaminated aquifer

Abstract

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) has become a valuable tool in understanding the fate of organic contaminants at field sites. However, its application to chlorinated benzenes (CBs), a group of toxic and persistent groundwater contaminants, has received less attention. This study employed CSIA to investigate the occurrence of natural degradation of various CBs and benzene in a contaminated aquifer. Despite the complexity of the study area (e.g., installation of a sheet pile barrier and the presence of a complex set of contaminants), the substantial enrichments in δ13C values (i.e., >2‰) for all CBs and benzene across the sampling wells indicate in situ degradation of these compounds. In particular, the 13C enrichments for 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB) display good correlations with decreasing groundwater concentrations, consistent with the effects of in situ biodegradation. Using the Rayleigh model, the extent of degradation (EoD) is estimated to be 47-99% for 1,2-DCB, and 21-73% for 1,2,4-TCB. The enrichments observed for the other CBs (1,4-DCB and chlorobenzene (MCB)) and benzene at the site are also suggestive of in situ biodegradation. Due to simultaneous degradation and production of 1,4-DCB (a major 1,2,4-TCB degradation product), MCB (from DCB degradation), and benzene (from MCB degradation), the estimation of EoD for these intermediate compounds is more complex but a modelling simulation supports in situ biodegradation of these daughter products. In particular, the fact that the δ13C values of MCB and benzene (i.e., daughter products of 1,2,4-TCB) are more enriched than the original δ13C value of their parent 1,2,4-TCB provides definitive evidence for the occurrence of in situ biodegradation of the MCB and benzene.