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Aldas-Vargas A, Kers JG, Smidt H, Rijnaarts HHM, Sutton NB. Bioaugmentation has temporary effect on anaerobic pesticide biodegradation in simulated groundwater systems. Biodegradation 2024; 35:281-297. [PMID: 37439919 PMCID: PMC10951022 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-023-10039-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater is the most important source for drinking water in The Netherlands. Groundwater quality is threatened by the presence of pesticides, and biodegradation is a natural process that can contribute to pesticide removal. Groundwater conditions are oligotrophic and thus biodegradation can be limited by the presence and development of microbial communities capable of biodegrading pesticides. For that reason, bioremediation technologies such as bioaugmentation (BA) can help to enhance pesticide biodegradation. We studied the effect of BA using enriched mixed inocula in two column bioreactors that simulate groundwater systems at naturally occurring redox conditions (iron and sulfate-reducing conditions). Columns were operated for around 800 days, and two BA inoculations (BA1 and BA2) were conducted in each column. Inocula were enriched from different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) under different redox-conditions. We observed a temporary effect of BA1, reaching 100% removal efficiency of the pesticide 2,4-D after 100 days in both columns. In the iron-reducing column, 2,4-D removal was in general higher than under sulfate-reducing conditions demonstrating the influence of redox conditions on overall biodegradation. We observed a temporary shift in microbial communities after BA1 that is relatable to the increase in 2,4-D removal efficiency. After BA2 under sulfate-reducing conditions, 2,4-D removal efficiency decreased, but no change in the column microbial communities was observed. The present study demonstrates that BA with a mixed inoculum can be a valuable technique for improving biodegradation in anoxic groundwater systems at different redox-conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Aldas-Vargas
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jannigje G Kers
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 8033, 6700 EH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hauke Smidt
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 8033, 6700 EH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Huub H M Rijnaarts
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nora B Sutton
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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2
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Kucharzyk KH, Murdoch FK, Wilson J, Michalsen M, Löffler FE, Murdoch RW, Istok JD, Hatzinger PB, Mullins L, Hill A. Integrated Advanced Molecular Tools Predict In Situ cVOC Degradation Rates: Field Demonstration. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:557-569. [PMID: 38109066 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Chlorinated volatile organic compound (cVOC) degradation rate constants are crucial information for site management. Conventional approaches generate rate estimates from the monitoring and modeling of cVOC concentrations. This requires time series data collected along the flow path of the plume. The estimates of rate constants are often plagued by confounding issues, making predictions cumbersome and unreliable. Laboratory data suggest that targeted quantitative analysis of Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) biomarker genes (qPCR) and proteins (qProt) can be directly correlated with reductive dechlorination activity. To assess the potential of qPCR and qProt measurements to predict rates, we collected data from cVOC-contaminated aquifers. At the benchmark study site, the rate constant for degradation of cis-dichloroethene (cDCE) extracted from monitoring data was 11.0 ± 3.4 yr-1, and the rate constant predicted from the abundance of TceA peptides was 6.9 yr-1. The rate constant for degradation of vinyl chloride (VC) from monitoring data was 8.4 ± 5.7 yr-1, and the rate constant predicted from the abundance of TceA peptides was 5.2 yr-1. At the other study sites, the rate constants for cDCE degradation predicted from qPCR and qProt measurements agreed within a factor of 4. Under the right circumstances, qPCR and qProt measurements can be useful to rapidly predict rates of cDCE and VC biodegradation, providing a major advance in effective site management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John Wilson
- Scissortail Environmental Solutions, LLC, Ada, Oklahoma 74820, United States
| | - Mandy Michalsen
- U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180, United States
| | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Microbiology, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Robert W Murdoch
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio 43220, United States
| | - Jack D Istok
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Paul B Hatzinger
- Aptim Biotechnology Development and Applications Group, 17 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States
| | - Larry Mullins
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio 43220, United States
| | - Amy Hill
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio 43220, United States
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3
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Tsai S, Tikekar RV. The effect of emulsifier type and oil fraction on Salmonella Typhimurium growth and thermal inactivation in oil-in-water emulsion. J Food Sci 2023; 88:4664-4676. [PMID: 37830876 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
High water activity oil-in-water emulsions can promote survival and growth of Salmonella Typhimurium. Nevertheless, the precise effect of emulsifier type and oil content on bacterial growth and inactivation is not fully understood. Here, emulsions were prepared using different emulsifiers (Tween 20, Tween 80, and Triton X-100) and different oil fractions (20%, 40%, and 60% (v/v)). TSB (control), emulsifier solutions, and emulsions were inoculated with S. Typhimurium. Bacterial growth rate was measured at 7, 22, and 37°C, whereas thermal inactivation was performed at 55°C. Growth and inactivation data was fitted into Logistic and Weibull models, respectively. At an incubation temperature of 37°C, the presence of high amount of oil (60%) in Tween 20 and Triton X stabilized emulsions extended the lag phase (5.83 ± 2.20 and 9.43 ± 1.07 h, respectively, compared to 2.28 ± 1.54 h for TSB, p < 0.05), whereas individual emulsifiers had no effect on growth behavior compared to TSB. This effect was also prevalent but attenuated at 22°C, whereas no growth was observed at 7°C. In thermal inactivation, we observed protective effect in Tween 80 and Triton X-100 solutions, where time required for five-log reduction was 1914.70 ± 706.35 min and 795.34 ± 420.09 min, respectively, compared to 203.89 ± 10.18 min for TSB (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the presence of high amount of oil did not offer protective effect during thermal inactivation. We hypothesize that oleic acid in Tween 80 and lower hydrophobicity value of Triton X-100 help maintain membrane integrity and improve the resistance of bacteria to heat inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn Tsai
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Rohan V Tikekar
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
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4
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Shen R, Yu L, Xu P, Liang Z, Lu Q, Liang D, He Z, Wang S. Water content as a primary parameter determines microbial reductive dechlorination activities in soil. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 267:129152. [PMID: 33316619 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) remove halogens from a variety of organohalides, which have been utilized for in situ remediation of different contaminated sites, e.g., groundwater, sediment and soil. Nonetheless, dehalogenation activities of OHRB and consequent remediation efficiencies can be synergistically affected by water content, soil type and inoculated/indigenous OHRB, which need to be disentangled to identify the key driving parameter and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. In this study, we investigated the impacts of water content (0-100%), soil type (laterite, brown soil and black soil) and inoculated OHRB (Dehalococcoides mccartyi CG1 and a river sediment culture) on reductive dechlorination of perchloroethene (PCE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as on associated microbial communities. Results suggested that the water content as a primary rate-limiting parameter governed dechlorination activities in environmental matrices, particularly in the soil, possibly through mediation of cell-to-organohalide mobility of OHRB. By contrast, interestingly, organohalide-dechlorinating microbial communities were predominantly clustered based on soil types, rather than water contents or inoculated OHRB. This study provided knowledge on the impacts of major parameters on OHRB-mediated reductive dechlorination in groundwater, sediment and soil for future optimization of in situ bioremediation of organohalides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Shen
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ling Yu
- Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Pan Xu
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zhiwei Liang
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Qihong Lu
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Dawei Liang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Energy Materials and Devices, School of Space & Environment, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhili He
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Shanquan Wang
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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5
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Hnatko JP, Yang L, Pennell KD, Abriola LM, Cápiro NL. Bioenhanced back diffusion and population dynamics of Dehalococcoides mccartyi strains in heterogeneous porous media. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 254:126842. [PMID: 32957273 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion, sorption-desorption, and biodegradation influence chlorinated solvent storage in, and release (mass flux) from, low-permeability media. Although bioenhanced dissolution of non-aqueous phase liquids has been well-documented, less attention has been directed towards biologically-mediated enhanced diffusion from low-permeability media. This process was investigated using a heterogeneous aquifer cell, packed with 20-30 mesh Ottawa sand and lenses of varying permeability (1.0 × 10-12-1.2 × 10-11 m2) and organic carbon (OC) content (<0.1%-2%), underlain by trichloroethene (TCE)-saturated clay. Initial contaminant loading was attained by flushing with 0.5 mM TCE. Total chlorinated ethenes removal by hydraulic flushing was then compared for abiotic and bioaugmented systems (KB-1® SIREM; Guelph, ON). A numerical model incorporating coupled diffusion and (de)sorption facilitated quantification of bio-enhanced TCE release from low-permeability lenses, which ranged from 6% to 53%. Although Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) 16S rRNA genes were uniformly distributed throughout the porous media, strain-specific distribution, as indicated by the reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes vcrA, bvcA, and tceA, was influenced by physical and chemical heterogeneity. Cells harboring the bvcA gene comprised 44% of the total RDase genes in the lower clay layer and media surrounding high OC lenses, but only 2% of RDase genes at other locations. Conversely, cells harboring the vcrA gene comprised 50% of RDase genes in low-permeability media compared with 85% at other locations. These results demonstrate the influence of microbial processes on back diffusion, which was most evident in regions with pronounced contrasts in permeability and OC content. Bioenhanced mass transfer and changes in the relative abundance of Dhc strains are likely to impact bioremediation performance in heterogeneous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason P Hnatko
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Lurong Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Kurt D Pennell
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Linda M Abriola
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Natalie L Cápiro
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Program, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
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6
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Chow SJ, Lorah MM, Wadhawan AR, Durant ND, Bouwer EJ. Sequential biodegradation of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene at oxic-anoxic groundwater interfaces in model laboratory columns. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2020; 231:103639. [PMID: 32283437 DOI: 10.7281/t1/i3ilxo] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Halogenated organic solvents such as chlorobenzenes (CBs) are frequent groundwater contaminants due to legacy spills. When contaminated anaerobic groundwater discharges into surface water through wetlands and other transition zones, aeration can occur from various physical and biological processes at shallow depths, resulting in oxic-anoxic interfaces (OAIs). This study investigated the potential for 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) biodegradation at OAIs. A novel upflow column system was developed to create stable anaerobic and aerobic zones, simulating a natural groundwater OAI. Two columns containing (1) sand and (2) a mixture of wetland sediment and sand were operated continuously for 295 days with varied doses of 0.14-1.4 mM sodium lactate (NaLac) as a model electron donor. Both column matrices supported anaerobic reductive dechlorination and aerobic degradation of 1,2,4-TCB spatially separated between anaerobic and aerobic zones. Reductive dechlorination produced a mixture of di- and monochlorobenzene daughter products, with estimated zero-order dechlorination rates up to 31.3 μM/h. Aerobic CB degradation, limited by available dissolved oxygen, occurred for 1,2,4-TCB and all dechlorinated daughter products. Initial reductive dechlorination did not enhance the overall observed extent or rate of subsequent aerobic CB degradation. Increasing NaLac dose increased the extent of reductive dechlorination, but suppressed aerobic CB degradation at 1.4 mM NaLac due to increased oxygen demand. 16S-rRNA sequencing of biofilm microbial communities revealed strong stratification of functional anaerobic and aerobic organisms between redox zones including the sole putative reductive dechlorinator detected in the columns, Dehalobacter. The sediment mixture column supported enhanced reductive dechlorination compared to the sand column at all tested NaLac doses and growth of Dehalobacter populations up to 4.1 × 108 copies/g (51% relative abundance), highlighting the potential benefit of sediments in reductive dechlorination processes. Results from these model systems suggest both substantial anaerobic and aerobic CB degradation can co-occur along the OAI at contaminated sites where bioavailable electron donors and oxygen are both present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Chow
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Address: 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Michelle M Lorah
- U.S. Geological Survey, MD-DE-DC Water Science Center, Address: 5522 Research Park Drive, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States.
| | - Amar R Wadhawan
- Arcadis U.S. Inc., Address: 7550 Teague Road Suite 210, Hanover, MD 21076, United States
| | - Neal D Durant
- Geosyntec Consultants, Address: 10211 Wincopin Cir Floor 4, Columbia, MD 21044, United States
| | - Edward J Bouwer
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Address: 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
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7
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Chow SJ, Lorah MM, Wadhawan AR, Durant ND, Bouwer EJ. Sequential biodegradation of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene at oxic-anoxic groundwater interfaces in model laboratory columns. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2020; 231:103639. [PMID: 32283437 PMCID: PMC7217665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2020.103639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Halogenated organic solvents such as chlorobenzenes (CBs) are frequent groundwater contaminants due to legacy spills. When contaminated anaerobic groundwater discharges into surface water through wetlands and other transition zones, aeration can occur from various physical and biological processes at shallow depths, resulting in oxic-anoxic interfaces (OAIs). This study investigated the potential for 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) biodegradation at OAIs. A novel upflow column system was developed to create stable anaerobic and aerobic zones, simulating a natural groundwater OAI. Two columns containing (1) sand and (2) a mixture of wetland sediment and sand were operated continuously for 295 days with varied doses of 0.14-1.4 mM sodium lactate (NaLac) as a model electron donor. Both column matrices supported anaerobic reductive dechlorination and aerobic degradation of 1,2,4-TCB spatially separated between anaerobic and aerobic zones. Reductive dechlorination produced a mixture of di- and monochlorobenzene daughter products, with estimated zero-order dechlorination rates up to 31.3 μM/h. Aerobic CB degradation, limited by available dissolved oxygen, occurred for 1,2,4-TCB and all dechlorinated daughter products. Initial reductive dechlorination did not enhance the overall observed extent or rate of subsequent aerobic CB degradation. Increasing NaLac dose increased the extent of reductive dechlorination, but suppressed aerobic CB degradation at 1.4 mM NaLac due to increased oxygen demand. 16S-rRNA sequencing of biofilm microbial communities revealed strong stratification of functional anaerobic and aerobic organisms between redox zones including the sole putative reductive dechlorinator detected in the columns, Dehalobacter. The sediment mixture column supported enhanced reductive dechlorination compared to the sand column at all tested NaLac doses and growth of Dehalobacter populations up to 4.1 × 108 copies/g (51% relative abundance), highlighting the potential benefit of sediments in reductive dechlorination processes. Results from these model systems suggest both substantial anaerobic and aerobic CB degradation can co-occur along the OAI at contaminated sites where bioavailable electron donors and oxygen are both present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Chow
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Address: 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Michelle M Lorah
- U.S. Geological Survey, MD-DE-DC Water Science Center, Address: 5522 Research Park Drive, Baltimore, MD 21228, United States.
| | - Amar R Wadhawan
- Arcadis U.S. Inc., Address: 7550 Teague Road Suite 210, Hanover, MD 21076, United States
| | - Neal D Durant
- Geosyntec Consultants, Address: 10211 Wincopin Cir Floor 4, Columbia, MD 21044, United States
| | - Edward J Bouwer
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Address: 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
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8
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Zhou Z, Shi L, Ye M, Zha Y. Effects of Local Transverse Dispersion on Macro-scale Coefficients of Decaying Solute Transport in a Stratified Formation. Transp Porous Media 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-019-01277-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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9
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Liang X, Zhuang J, Löffler FE, Zhang Y, DeBruyn JM, Wilhelm SW, Schaeffer SM, Radosevich M. Viral and bacterial community responses to stimulated Fe(III)-bioreduction during simulated subsurface bioremediation. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:2043-2055. [PMID: 30773777 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The delivery of fermentable substrate(s) to subsurface environments stimulates Fe(III)-bioreduction and achieves detoxification of organic/inorganic contaminants. Although, much research has been conducted on the microbiology of such engineered systems at lab and field scales, little attention has been given to the phage-host interactions and virus community dynamics in these environments. The objective was to determine the responses of soil bacterial communities and viral assemblages to stimulated anaerobic Fe(III)-bioreduction following electron donor (e.g. acetate) addition. Microbial communities, including viral assemblages, were investigated after 60 days of Fe(III)-bioreduction in laboratory-scale columns continuously fed with acetate-amended artificial groundwater. Viral abundances were greatest in the influent section and decreased along the flow path. Acetate availability was important in influencing bacterial diversity, microbial interactions and viral abundance and community composition. The impact of acetate addition was most evident in the influent section of the columns. The increased relative abundance of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria coincided with an increase in viral abundance in areas of the columns exhibiting the most Fe(III) reduction. The genetic composition of viruses in these column sections also differed from the control column and distal sections of acetate-treated columns suggesting viral communities responded to biostimulated Fe(III)-bioreduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Liang
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.,Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.,Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Yingyue Zhang
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Jennifer M DeBruyn
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Sean M Schaeffer
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Mark Radosevich
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
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10
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Marcet TF, Cápiro NL, Yang Y, Löffler FE, Pennell KD. Impacts of low-temperature thermal treatment on microbial detoxification of tetrachloroethene under continuous flow conditions. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 145:21-29. [PMID: 30114555 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.07.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Coupling in situ thermal treatment (ISTT) with microbial reductive dechlorination (MRD) has the potential to enhance contaminant degradation and reduce cleanup costs compared to conventional standalone remediation technologies. Impacts of low-temperature ISTT on Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc), a relevant species in the anaerobic degradation of cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) to nontoxic ethene, were assessed in sand-packed columns under dynamic flow conditions. Dissolved tetrachloroethene (PCE; 258 ± 46 μM) was introduced to identical columns bioaugmented with the PCE-to-ethene dechlorinating consortium KB-1®. Initial column temperatures represented a typical aquifer (15 °C) or a site undergoing low-temperature ISTT (35 °C), and were subsequently increased to 35 and 74 °C, respectively, to assess temperature impacts on reductive dechlorination activity. In the 15 °C column, PCE was transformed primarily to cis-DCE (159 ± 2 μM), which was further degraded to VC (164 ± 3 μM) and ethene (30 ± 0 μM) within 17 pore volumes (PVs) after the temperature was increased to 35 °C. Regardless of the initial column temperature, ethene constituted >50 mol% of effluent degradation products in both columns after 73-74 PVs at 35 °C, indicating that MRD performance was greatly improved under low-temperature ISTT conditions. Increasing the temperature of the column initially at 35 °C resulted in continued VC and ethene production until a temperature of approximately 43 °C was reached, at which point Dhc activity substantially decreased. The abundance of the vcrA reductive dehalogenase gene exceeded that of the bvcA gene by 1-2.5 orders of magnitude at 15 °C, but this relationship inversed at temperatures >35 °C, suggesting Dhc strain-specific responses to temperature. These findings demonstrate improved MRD performance with low-temperature thermal treatment and emphasize potential synergistic effects at sites undergoing ISTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler F Marcet
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States
| | - Natalie L Cápiro
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Department of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States
| | - Kurt D Pennell
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States; School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
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11
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Yang Y, Higgins SA, Yan J, Şimşir B, Chourey K, Iyer R, Hettich RL, Baldwin B, Ogles DM, Löffler FE. Grape pomace compost harbors organohalide-respiring Dehalogenimonas species with novel reductive dehalogenase genes. ISME JOURNAL 2017; 11:2767-2780. [PMID: 28809851 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2017.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Organohalide-respiring bacteria have key roles in the natural chlorine cycle; however, most of the current knowledge is based on cultures from contaminated environments. We demonstrate that grape pomace compost without prior exposure to chlorinated solvents harbors a Dehalogenimonas (Dhgm) species capable of using chlorinated ethenes, including the human carcinogen and common groundwater pollutant vinyl chloride (VC) as electron acceptors. Grape pomace microcosms and derived solid-free enrichment cultures were able to dechlorinate trichloroethene (TCE) to less chlorinated daughter products including ethene. 16S rRNA gene amplicon and qPCR analyses revealed a predominance of Dhgm sequences, but Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) biomarker genes were not detected. The enumeration of Dhgm 16S rRNA genes demonstrated VC-dependent growth, and 6.55±0.64 × 108 cells were measured per μmole of chloride released. Metagenome sequencing enabled the assembly of a Dhgm draft genome, and 52 putative reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes were identified. Proteomic workflows identified a putative VC RDase with 49 and 56.1% amino acid similarity to the known VC RDases VcrA and BvcA, respectively. A survey of 1,173 groundwater samples collected from 111 chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites in the United States and Australia revealed that Dhgm 16S rRNA genes were frequently detected and outnumbered Dhc in 65% of the samples. Dhgm are likely greater contributors to reductive dechlorination of chlorinated solvents in contaminated aquifers than is currently recognized, and non-polluted environments represent sources of organohalide-respiring bacteria with novel RDase genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Steven A Higgins
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Jun Yan
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Burcu Şimşir
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Karuna Chourey
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Ramsunder Iyer
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Robert L Hettich
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.,Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.,Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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12
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Yang Y, Cápiro NL, Marcet TF, Yan J, Pennell KD, Löffler FE. Organohalide Respiration with Chlorinated Ethenes under Low pH Conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:8579-8588. [PMID: 28665587 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b01510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Bioremediation at chlorinated solvent sites often leads to groundwater acidification due to electron donor fermentation and enhanced dechlorination activity. The microbial reductive dechlorination process is robust at circumneutral pH, but activity declines at groundwater pH values below 6.0. Consistent with this observation, the activity of tetrachloroethene (PCE) dechlorinating cultures declined at pH 6.0 and was not sustained in pH 5.5 medium, with one notable exception. Sulfurospirillum multivorans dechlorinated PCE to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) in pH 5.5 medium and maintained this activity upon repeated transfers. Microcosms established with soil and aquifer materials from five distinct locations dechlorinated PCE-to-ethene at pH 5.5 and pH 7.2. Dechlorination to ethene was maintained following repeated transfers at pH 7.2, but no ethene was produced at pH 5.5, and only the transfer cultures derived from the Axton Cross Superfund (ACS) microcosms sustained PCE dechlorination to cDCE as a final product. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of pH 7.2 and pH 5.5 ACS enrichments revealed distinct microbial communities, with the dominant dechlorinator being Dehalococcoides in pH 7.2 and Sulfurospirillum in pH 5.5 cultures. PCE-to-trichloroethene- (TCE-) and PCE-to-cDCE-dechlorinating isolates obtained from the ACS pH 5.5 enrichment shared 98.6%, and 98.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Sulfurospirillum multivorans. These findings imply that sustained Dehalococcoides activity cannot be expected in low pH (i.e., ≤ 5.5) groundwater, and organohalide-respiring Sulfurospirillum spp. are key contributors to in situ PCE reductive dechlorination under low pH conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalie L Cápiro
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University , Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Tyler F Marcet
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University , Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | | | - Kurt D Pennell
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University , Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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13
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Şimşir B, Yan J, Im J, Graves D, Löffler FE. Natural Attenuation in Streambed Sediment Receiving Chlorinated Solvents from Underlying Fracture Networks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:4821-4830. [PMID: 28328216 PMCID: PMC6944067 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b05554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Contaminant discharge from fractured bedrock formations remains a remediation challenge. We applied an integrated approach to assess the natural attenuation potential of sediment that forms the transition zone between upwelling groundwater from a chlorinated solvent-contaminated fractured bedrock aquifer and the receiving surface water. In situ measurements demonstrated that reductive dechlorination in the sediment attenuated chlorinated compounds before reaching the water column. Microcosms established with creek sediment or in situ incubated Bio-Sep beads degraded C1-C3 chlorinated solvents to less-chlorinated or innocuous products. Quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed the abundance and spatial distribution of known dechlorinator biomarker genes within the creek sediment and demonstrated that multiple dechlorinator populations degrading chlorinated C1-C3 alkanes and alkenes co-inhabit the sediment. Phylogenetic classification of bacterial and archaeal sequences indicated a relatively uniform distribution over spatial (300 m horizontally) scale, but Dehalococcoides and Dehalobacter were more abundant in deeper sediment, where 5.7 ± 0.4 × 105 and 5.4 ± 0.9 × 106 16S rRNA gene copies per g of sediment, respectively, were measured. The microbiological and hydrogeological characterization demonstrated that microbial processes at the fractured bedrock-sediment interface were crucial for preventing contaminants reaching the water column, emphasizing the relevance of this critical zone environment for contaminant attenuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Şimşir
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jun Yan
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Jeongdae Im
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, United States
| | - Duane Graves
- Geosyntec Consultants, Knoxville, Tennessee 37922, United States
| | - Frank E. Löffler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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14
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Cápiro NL, Löffler FE, Pennell KD. Spatial and temporal dynamics of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous PCE-DNAPL source zone. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2015; 182:78-90. [PMID: 26348832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Revised: 08/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Effective treatment of sites contaminated with dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) requires detailed understanding of the microbial community responses to changes in source zone strength and architecture. Changes in the spatial and temporal distributions of the organohalide-respiring Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) strains and Geobacter lovleyi strain SZ (GeoSZ) were examined in a heterogeneous tetrachloroethene- (PCE-) DNAPL source zone within a two-dimensional laboratory-scale aquifer flow cell. As part of a combined remedy approach, flushing with 2.3 pore volumes (PVs) of 4% (w/w) solution of the nonionic, biodegradable surfactant Tween® 80 removed 55% of the initial contaminant mass, and resulted in a PCE-DNAPL distribution that contained 51% discrete ganglia and 49% pools (ganglia-to-pool ratio of 1.06). Subsequent bioaugmentation with the PCE-to-ethene-dechlorinating consortium BDI-SZ resulted in cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) formation after 1 PV (ca. 7 days), while vinyl chloride (VC) and ethene were detected 10 PVs after bioaugmentation. Maximum ethene yields (ca. 90 μM) within DNAPL pool and ganglia regions coincided with the detection of the vcrA reductive dehalogenase (RDase) gene that exceeded the Dhc 16S rRNA genes by 2.0±1.3 and 4.0±1.7 fold in the pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Dhc and GeoSZ cell abundance increased by up to 4 orders-of-magnitude after 28 PVs of steady-state operation, with 1 to 2 orders-of-magnitude increases observed in close proximity to residual PCE-DNAPL. These observations suggest the involvement of these dechlorinators the in observed PCE dissolution enhancements of up to 2.3 and 6.0-fold within pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Analysis of the solid and aqueous samples at the conclusion of the experiment revealed that the highest VC (≥155 μM) and ethene (≥65 μM) concentrations were measured in zones where Dhc and GeoSZ were predominately attached to the solids. These findings demonstrate dynamic responses of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous DNAPL source zone, and emphasize the influence of source zone architecture on bioremediation performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie L Cápiro
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
| | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (UT-ORNL) Joint Institute for Biological Sciences (JIBS) and Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States
| | - Kurt D Pennell
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
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15
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Kocur CMD, Lomheim L, Boparai HK, Chowdhury AIA, Weber KP, Austrins LM, Edwards EA, Sleep BE, O'Carroll DM. Contributions of Abiotic and Biotic Dechlorination Following Carboxymethyl Cellulose Stabilized Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron Injection. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:8648-56. [PMID: 26090687 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A pilot scale injection of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) stabilized with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was performed at an active field site contaminated with a range of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOC). The cVOC concentrations and microbial populations were monitored at the site before and after nZVI injection. The remedial injection successfully reduced parent compound concentrations on site. A period of abiotic degradation was followed by a period of enhanced biotic degradation. Results suggest that the nZVI/CMC injection created conditions that stimulated the native populations of organohalide-respiring microorganisms. The abundance of Dehalococcoides spp. immediately following the nZVI/CMC injection increased by 1 order of magnitude throughout the nZVI/CMC affected area relative to preinjection abundance. Distinctly higher cVOC degradation occurred as a result of the nZVI/CMC injection over a 3 week evaluation period when compared to control wells. This suggests that both abiotic and biotic degradation occurred following injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris M D Kocur
- ∥CH2M HILL Canada Limited, 72 Victoria Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4Y9, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Kela P Weber
- §Environmental Sciences Group, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, P.O. Box 17000, Station Forces, Kingston, Ontario K7K 7B4, Canada
| | - Leanne M Austrins
- ∥CH2M HILL Canada Limited, 72 Victoria Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4Y9, Canada
| | | | - Brent E Sleep
- ⊥Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A4, Canada
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