In Situ Biodegradation of 1,4-Dioxane: Effects of Metals and Chlorinated Solvent Co-Contaminants
Abstract
1,4-Dioxane is a possible human carcinogen and a contaminant of emerging concern in groundwater at many military and industrial contaminated sites. We hypothesized that the inhibitory effects of co-contaminants on microbes might be responsible for limited in situ 1,4-dioxane biodegradation in contaminated environments. Additionally, while biodegradation by planktonic cultures is well established, the biodegradation capabilities of biofilms, a preferred growth mode in much of the natural and built environment, are poorly understood. This research project evaluated the suspected limiting effects of co-contaminants and their remedial technologies on 1,4-dioxane biodegradation through the following technical objectives: 1. To characterize the effects of chlorinated solvents trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) and their degradation products on 1,4-dioxane biodegradation; 2. To determine the effects of metals on 1,4-dioxane biodegradation in bacterial pure cultures; 3. To examine the ability of 1,4-dioxane to be absorbed by abiotic adsorbents and be biodegraded by bioaugmented adsorbents; 4. To evaluate co-contaminant effects on biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane by bacterial biofilms; 5. To assess the effects of enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) on 1,4-dioxane biodegradation in columns constructed with media from an impacted site, with and without select co-contaminants; and 6. To analyze microbial composition and dynamic changes during the chemical oxidation and biological processes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 07, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1216391
Entities
People
- Baohua Gu
- Dora Chiang
- Shaily Mahendra
Organizations
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- University of California, Los Angeles