Simulating Metabolic Reductive Decholorination with Multiple Cultures during Bioenhanced PCE-NAPL Dissolution
Abstract
A recently conducted laboratory experiment investigating metabolic reductive dechlorination in dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zones demonstrated enhanced DNAPL dissolution by increasing the driving force for mass transfer due to reductions in the aqueous phase. Tetrachloroethene (PCE) was degraded sequentially to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) through trichloroethylene (TCE) and to ethene via vinyl chloride (VC) by Geobacter and Dehalococcoides, respectively. Significant PCE dechlorination led to bioenhanced DNAPL dissolution, with a 5-fold increase in dissolution observed relative to an abiotic system. A multiphase, compositional simulator, the Michigan Subsurface Environmental Simulator (MISER), was modified to model 9 chemical constituents and 3 microbial populations (a fermentor and two dechlorinators) within the column. Monod kinetics, including electron donor thresholds, electron acceptor competition, and competitive inhibition, were used to model contaminant dechlorination and biomass growth. The model was calibrated to the experimental data using effluent concentrations. Model results were compared to analyses of side port samples collected along the column length to determine the ability of the model to reproduce the biomass growth and reductive dechlorination occurring within the column. Results suggest that the model as formulated is capable of capturing the general trends observed in the column. Work is on-going to investigate the influence of initial biomass distribution, DNAPL source zone distribution, and applied boundary conditions on bioenhanced dissolution predictions. This model is expected to provide valuable insights for future experimental design and identification of conditions that may govern bioenhanced dissolution in the field.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFM.H41D0916C
- Keywords:
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- 1829 HYDROLOGY / Groundwater hydrology;
- 1832 HYDROLOGY / Groundwater transport;
- 1847 HYDROLOGY / Modeling;
- 1869 HYDROLOGY / Stochastic hydrology