Synergistic Reductive Dechlorination of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane and Trichloroethene and Aerobic Biodegradation of 1,4-Dioxane
Abstract
Groundwater co-contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) and/or trichloroethene (TCE) is common. We tested a synergistic platform featuring anaerobic TCE/TCA reduction in a H2-based reactor followed by aerobic 1,4-dioxane biodegradation in a O2-based membrane biofilm reactor (O2-MBfR). For the H2-based reduction stage, we evaluated the hydrogen-based Membrane Biofilm Reactor (MBfR) and a new hydrogen-based Membrane Palladium-film Reactor (MPfR). We conducted parallel modeling and experimental programs for the two MBfRs and an experimental program for the MPfR. Our evaluations proved that the rate and selectivity for reductive dichlorination of TCE/TCA to ethane was significantly higher with the MPfR than the MBfR. We configured the synergistic platform by linking the H2-based MPfR with a 1,4-dioxane oxidizing O2-MBfR in sequence. The ethane produced from reduction of TCE and TCA served as the primary electron donor for com-metabolic biodedgradation of 1,4-dioxane in the O2-MBfR. In summary, we demonstrated proof-of-concept for removing TCE, TCA, and 1,4-dioxane without accumulation of toxic intermediates in a synergistic platform featuring a H2-based MPfR for Pd-catalyzed TCE/TCA reduction followed by an O2-based MBfR for biological degradation of 1,4-dioxane plus products from TCE/TCA reduction. This research advanced understanding of the fundamental factors controlling Pd-catalyzed reductive dechlorination and the co-metabolic biodegradation of dioxane derivatives.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1076485
Entities
People
- Boya Wang
- Bruce E. Rittmann
- Rosa Krajmalnik-brown
- Yihao Luo
- Youneng Tang
Organizations
- Arizona State University
- Florida State University