Enhanced natural attenuation of BTEX in the nitrate-reducing environment by different electron acceptors

Abstract

Enhancing natural attenuation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) in groundwater is a potential remediation technology. This study focused on selecting appropriate electron acceptors to promote BTEX degradation in a nitrate-reducing environment. Nitrate-reducing soil was obtained from simulated BTEX-contaminated column. Enhancing experiments were conducted in the microcosm with nitrate-reducing material and simulated BTEX-polluted groundwater to investigate the promoting feasibility of adding dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate, chelated Fe(III), and sulphate as electron acceptors. The concentrations of BTEX, electron acceptors, and their reducing products were measured. The order of promoting BTEX degradation with four electron acceptors was nitrate>sulphate>chelated Fe(III)>DO, and the first-order decay coefficients were 0.0432, 0.0333, 0.0240, and 0.0155, respectively. Nitrate, sulphate, and chelated Fe(III) enhanced attenuation. Nitrate was the most effective electron acceptor under nitrate-reducing conditions. Selecting proper electron acceptor is significant in promoting BTEX degradation according to the biogeochemical characteristics of local underground environment.