Journal article
Natural Biodegradation of Vinyl Chloride and cis-Dichloroethene in Aerobic and Suboxic Conditions
Environmental science and pollution research international, Vol.29(37), pp.56154-56167
08/2022
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19755-1
PMID: 35322370
Abstract
Chlorinated ethene (CE) groundwater contamination is commonly treated through anaerobic biodegradation (i.e., reductive dechlorination) either as part of an engineered system or through natural attenuation. Aerobic biodegradation has also been recognized as a potentially significant pathway for the removal of the lower CEs cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). However, the role of aerobic biodegradation under low oxygen conditions typical of contaminated groundwater is unclear. Bacteria capable of aerobic VC biodegradation appear to be common in the environment, while aerobic biodegradation of cDCE is less common and little is known regarding the organisms responsible. In this study, we investigate the role of aerobic cDCE and VC biodegradation in a mixed contaminant plume (including CEs, BTEX, and ketones) at Naval Air Station North Island, Installation Restoration Site 9. Sediment and groundwater collected from the plume source area, mid-plume, and shoreline were used to prepare microcosms under fully aerobic (8 mg/L dissolved oxygen (DO)) and suboxic (< 1 mg/L DO) conditions. In the shoreline microcosms, VC and cDCE were rapidly degraded under suboxic conditions (100% and 77% removal in < 62 days). In the suboxic VC microcosms, biodegradation was associated with a > 5 order of magnitude increase in the abundance of functional gene etnE, part of the aerobic VC utilization pathway. VC and cDCE were degraded more slowly under fully aerobic conditions (74% and 30% removal) in 110 days. High-throughput 16S rRNA and etnE sequencing suggest the presence of novel VC- and cDCE-degrading bacteria. These results suggest that natural aerobic biodegradation of cDCE and VC is occurring at the site and provide new evidence that low (< 1 mg/L) DO levels play a significant role in natural attenuation of cDCE and VC.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Natural Biodegradation of Vinyl Chloride and cis-Dichloroethene in Aerobic and Suboxic Conditions
- Creators
- Patrick M Richards - University of IowaJessica M Ewald - University of IowaWeilun Zhao - University of IowaHeather Rectanus - Geosyntec Consultants (United States)Dimin Fan - Geosyntec Consultants (United States)Neal Durant - Geosyntec Consultants (United States)Michael Pound - Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southwest, 750 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA, 92132, USATimothy E Mattes - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental science and pollution research international, Vol.29(37), pp.56154-56167
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11356-022-19755-1
- PMID
- 35322370
- NLM abbreviation
- Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
- eISSN
- 1614-7499
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Grant note
- 1802583 / National Science Foundation Contract N62473-18-D-0202 / Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 03/24/2022
- Date published
- 08/2022
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984230137902771
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