Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios and Biodegradation Rates of BTEX Compounds at the Tranguch Gasoline Site, Hazelton, Pennsylvania

Abstract

In April 2002, NRL sampled groundwater at the Tranguch Gasoline Site (TGS), located in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. The goal of this study was to determine the rates and efficacy of on-site bacterial fuel hydrocarbon biodegradation; measure the overall metabolic activity and state of the on-site bacterial consortia; and determine fuel hydrocarbon stable isotope ratios. Mineralization rates were relatively high, and calculated turnover (removal of ambient pool) times for benzene and toluene were on the order of days. The exception was OSMW-02, which had a benzene turnover time of about 5 months. In wells with appreciable BTEX, mineralization of benzene and toluene accounted for ^100% of the calculated production. From compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis, it was determined that the BTEX in each well was significantly different from the BTEX of every other well (P <0.05). Results of the compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis with limited sample distribution indicated that there are at least two likely sources on-site--one represented by SAMW-01 and OSMW-04 and another represented by OSMW-04 and TTMW-07.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 03, 2005
Accession Number
ADA432948

Entities

People

  • Michael T. Montgomery
  • Richard B. Coffin
  • Thomas J. Boyd

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Bacteria
  • Biodegradation
  • Bioremediation
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Detection
  • Environment
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Environmental Protection
  • Environmental Restoration And Remediation
  • Groundwater
  • Isotopes
  • Mass Spectroscopy
  • Measurement
  • Probability

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Groundwater Contamination Remediation.
  • Hydrologic Risk Analysis and Mitigation.