PMID- 9134765
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19970612
LR  - 20191102
IS  - 1367-5435 (Print)
IS  - 1367-5435 (Linking)
VI  - 18
IP  - 2-3
DP  - 1997 Feb-Mar
TI  - Intrinsic bioremediation in a solvent-contaminated alluvial groundwater.
PG  - 177-88
AB  - An industrial site contaminated with a mixture of volatile organic compounds in 
      its subsurface differed from previously reported locations in that the 
      contamination consisted of a mixture of chlorinated, brominated, and 
      non-halogenated aromatic and aliphatic solvents in an alluvial aquifer. The 
      source area was adjacent to a river. Of the contaminants present in the aquifer, 
      benzene, toluene, and chlorobenzene (BTC) were of primary concern. Studies of the 
      physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of site groundwater were 
      conducted. The studies concentrated on BTC, but also addressed the fate of the 
      other aquifer VOCs. Gas chromatographic analyses performed on laboratory 
      microcosms demonstrated that subsurface microorganisms were capable of BTC 
      degradation. Mineralization of BTC was demonstrated by the release of 14CO2 from 
      radiolabelled BTC. In the field, distribution patterns of nutrients and electron 
      acceptors were consistent with expression of in situ microbial metabolic 
      activity: methane, conductivity, salinity and o-phosphate concentrations were all 
      positively correlated with contaminant concentration; while oxidation-reduction 
      potential, nitrate, dissolved oxygen and sulfate concentrations were negatively 
      correlated. Total aerobes, aerotolerant anaerobes, BTC-specific degraders, and 
      acridine orange direct microscopic microorganism counts were strongly and 
      positively correlated with field contaminant concentrations. The relative 
      concentrations of benzene and toluene were lower away from the core of the plume 
      compared to the less readily metabolized compound, chlorobenzene. Hydrodynamic 
      modeling of electron-acceptor depletion conservatively estimated that 450 kg of 
      contaminant have been removed from the subsurface yearly. Models lacking a 
      biodegradation term predicted that 360 kg of contaminant would reach the river 
      annually, which would result in measurable contaminant concentrations. River 
      surveillance, however, has only rarely detected these compounds in the sediment 
      and then only at trace concentrations. Thus, the combination of field modeling, 
      laboratory studies, and site surveillance data confirm that significant in situ 
      biodegradation of the contaminants has occurred. These studies establish the 
      presence of intrinsic bioremediation of groundwater contaminants in this unusual 
      industrial site subsurface habitat.
FAU - Williams, R A
AU  - Williams RA
AD  - Environmental Projects Laboratories, Merck & Co, Inc, Elkton, VA 22827, USA.
FAU - Shuttle, K A
AU  - Shuttle KA
FAU - Kunkler, J L
AU  - Kunkler JL
FAU - Madsen, E L
AU  - Madsen EL
FAU - Hooper, S W
AU  - Hooper SW
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - Germany
TA  - J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol
JT  - Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology
JID - 9705544
RN  - 0 (Chlorobenzenes)
RN  - 0 (Environmental Pollutants)
RN  - 0 (Hydrocarbons)
RN  - 0 (Industrial Waste)
RN  - 0 (Nitrates)
RN  - 0 (Phosphates)
RN  - 0 (Sulfates)
RN  - 059QF0KO0R (Water)
RN  - 142M471B3J (Carbon Dioxide)
RN  - 3FPU23BG52 (Toluene)
RN  - 451W47IQ8X (Sodium Chloride)
RN  - J64922108F (Benzene)
RN  - K18102WN1G (chlorobenzene)
RN  - OP0UW79H66 (Methane)
RN  - S88TT14065 (Oxygen)
MH  - Aerobiosis
MH  - Anaerobiosis
MH  - Bacteria/*metabolism
MH  - Benzene/analysis/metabolism
MH  - *Biodegradation, Environmental
MH  - Carbon Dioxide/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Chlorobenzenes/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Chromatography, Gas
MH  - Colony Count, Microbial
MH  - Environmental Pollutants/*metabolism
MH  - Environmental Pollution
MH  - Geologic Sediments/analysis
MH  - Hydrocarbons/*metabolism
MH  - Industrial Waste
MH  - Methane/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Nitrates/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Oxidation-Reduction
MH  - Oxygen/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Phosphates/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Sodium Chloride/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Sulfates/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Toluene/analysis/metabolism
MH  - Water/analysis
MH  - Water Microbiology
EDAT- 1997/02/01 00:00
MHDA- 1997/02/01 00:01
CRDT- 1997/02/01 00:00
PHST- 1997/02/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1997/02/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1997/02/01 00:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1038/sj.jim.2900320 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 1997 Feb-Mar;18(2-3):177-88. doi: 
      10.1038/sj.jim.2900320.