Transport and fate of acetone in an outdoor model stream, Stennis Space Center near Bay St Louis, Mississippi

Abstract

Acetone, rhodamine-WT dye, T-butyl alcohol, and glucose were modeled in an outdoor stream to determine their fate and transportation in the system. Acetone was injected continuously for 32 days, resulting in concentrations in the 20 to 200 mg/L range in the stream water. Rhodamine-WT dye was injected at the beginning and at the end of the experiment to determine the dispersion and traveltime characteristics of the stream. An injection of t-butyl alcohol was used to determine the volatilization characteristics of the stream. A glucose solution was injected in an attempt to stimulate the growth of bacteria in the stream water, with subsequent bacterial degradation of the acetone. Similarly, a nutrient solution containing bacteria acclimated to acetone in the laboratory was injected an attempt to stimulate the bacterial degradation of acetone. Conclusions are: nitrogen/phosphorus ratios in the model stream were small relative to values from the literature considered desirable for efficient bacterial degradation of organic compounds; the model stream was biologically rich and the bottom of the stream cross section contained a layer of organic detritus; the mean residence time in the model stream was about 6 hrs; mean water velocities and longitudinal dispersion coefficients were in good agreement. Volatilization coefficientsmore » for acetone were in good agreement, injection of a glucose solution resulted in no significant decrease in acetone concentrations in the model stream and injection of the nutrient solution containing bacteria resulted in no apparent decrease in the acetone concentrations in the model stream.« less