Dechlorinating microorganisms in a sedimentary rock matrix contaminated with a mixture of VOCs

Gláucia Lima; Beth Parker; Jessica Meyer

doi:10.1021/es300214f

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Dechlorinating microorganisms in a sedimentary rock matrix contaminated with a mixture of VOCs

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Dechlorinating microorganisms in a sedimentary rock matrix contaminated with a mixture of VOCs

Gláucia Lima, Beth Parker and Jessica Meyer

Environmental science & technology, Vol.46(11), pp.5756-5763

06/05/2012

DOI: 10.1021/es300214f

PMID: 22612587

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Abstract

Microbiological characterizations of contaminant biodegradation in fractured sedimentary rock have primarily focused on the biomass suspended in groundwater samples and disregarded the biomass attached to fractures and in matrix pores. In fractured sedimentary rock, diffusion causes nearly all contaminant mass to reside in porous, low-permeability matrix. Microorganisms capable of contaminant degradation can grow in the matrix pores if the pores and pore throats are sufficiently large. In this study, the presence of dechlorinating microorganisms in rock matrices was investigated at a site where a fractured, flat-lying, sandstone-dolostone sequence has been contaminated with a mixture of chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons for over 40 years. The profile of organic contaminants as well as the distribution and characterization of the microbial community spatial variability was obtained through depth-discrete, high-frequency sampling along a 98-m continuous rock core. Dechlorinating microorganisms, such as Dehalococcoides and Dehalobacter, were detected in the rock matrices away from fracture surfaces, indicating that biodegradation within the rock matrix blocks should be considered as an important component of the system when evaluating the potential for natural attenuation or remediation at similar sedimentary rock sites.

Biodegradation, Environmental

Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

Genes, Bacterial - genetics

Soil Microbiology

Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis

Soil Pollutants - analysis

Bacteria - genetics

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

Geologic Sediments - microbiology

DNA, Bacterial - genetics

Base Sequence

Halogenation

Polymerase Chain Reaction

RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics

DNA, Bacterial - analysis

Porosity

Details

Title: Subtitle: Dechlorinating microorganisms in a sedimentary rock matrix contaminated with a mixture of VOCs
Creators: Gláucia Lima - School of Engineering, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada. glaucia.lima@utoronto.ca
Beth Parker
Jessica Meyer
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Environmental science & technology, Vol.46(11), pp.5756-5763
Publisher: United States
DOI: 10.1021/es300214f
PMID: 22612587
ISSN: 0013-936X
eISSN: 1520-5851
Language: English
Date published: 06/05/2012
Academic Unit: Earth and Environmental Sciences
Record Identifier: 9983984533002771

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