Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on thein situ bioremediation of trichloroethylene

  • Session 5 Environmental Biotechnology
  • Published:
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The US Department of Energy, Office of Technology Development, has supported a field-scalein situ demonstration of trichloroethylene (TCE) bioremediation at the Westinghouse Savannah River Site (WSRS). Several methods were used to examine the influence of nitrogen and phosphorus species on TCE degradation during methane (CH4) injection into contaminated sediments. Laboratory experiments using WSRS ground water revealed that the rate of acetate incorporation into microbial lipids was stimulated when triethyl-phosphate (TEP) or nitrous oxide (N2O) was added. The trend was: CH4+N2O>CH4 +TEP>CH4+N2O+TEP>CH4 alone. The degree of stimulation of14C-TCE mineralization in ground water incubated for 30 d in the laboratory with added methane and nutrients increased in the order: OP=TEP>NH3+TEP=NH3>N2O (OP, orthophosphate; NH3, ammonia). Monitoring of WSRS ground water revealed significant differences among sampling wells over time in nutrient concentrations, nitrogen uptake, and urease activity during operations of the bioremediation demonstration. In the field, the addition of TEP+N2O to the pulsed injection of CH4 resulted in dramatic stimulation of TCE-degrading potentials observed in ground water enrichments. The potential to mineralize14C-TCE in ground water enriched with nutrients in the laboratory increased from <50% of the samples taken during injection of methane in the field to >90% of the samples taken during the injection of CH4+TEP+N2O treatment. These results demonstrated the dramatic impacts of nitrogen and phosphorus supplements during thein situ bioremediation of chlorinated solvents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chapelle, F. H., Zelibor, J. L., Jr., Grimes, D. J., and Knobel, L. L. (1987),Water Resources Res. 23, 1625–1632.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Chapelle, F. H. and Lovley, D. R. (1990),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56, 1865–1874.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Murphy, E. M., Schramke, J. A., Fredrickson, J. K., Bledsoe, H. W., Francis, A. J., Sklarew, D. S., and Linehan, J. C. (1992),Water Resources Res. 28, 723–740.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Phelps, T. J., Murphy, E. M., Pfiffner, S. M., and White, D. C. (1994),Microb. Ecol. 28, 335–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Phelps, T. J., Pfiffner, S. M., Sargent, K. A., and White, D. C. (1994),Microb. Ecol. 28, 351–364.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Balkwill, D. L. (1989),Geomicrobiol. J. 7, 33–52.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Brockman, F. J., Kieft, T. L., Fredrickson, J. K., Bjornstad, B. N., Li, S. W., Sparenburg, F. W., and Long, P. E. (1992),Microb. Ecol. 23, 279–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Colwell, F. W. (1989),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55, 2420–2423.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Palumbo, A. V., McCarthy, J. F., Parker, A., Pfiffner, S. M., Colwell, F. S., Phelps, T. J. (1994),Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 45/46, 823–834.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hazen, T. C. (1992),Test Plan for In Situ Bioremediation Demonstration of the Savannah River Integrated Demonstration Project. Westinghouse Savannah River Co. Publication number WSRC-RD-91-23. Aiken, SC.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fliermans, C. B., Phelps, T. J., Ringelberg, D., Mikell, A. T., and White, D. C. (1988),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54, 1709–1716.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Malachowsky, K. J., Phelps, T. J., Teboli, A. B., Minikin, D. E., and White, D. C. (1994),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60, 542–548.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bowman, J. P., Jiménez, L., Rosario, I., Hazen, T. C., and Sayler, G. S. (1993),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59, 2380–2387.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Phelps, T. J., Ringelberg, D., Hedrick, D., Davis J., Fliermans, C. B., and White, D. C. (1989),Geomicrobiol. J. 6, 157–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Phelps, T. J., Niedzielski, J. J., Malachowsky, K. J., Schram, R. M., Herbes, S. E., and White, D. C. (1991)Environ. Sci. Technol. 25, 1461–1465.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lackey, L. W., Phelps, T. J., Bienkowski, P. R., and White, D. C. (1993),Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 39/40, 701–713.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Little, C. D., Palumbo, A. V., Herbes, S. E., Lindstrom, M. E., Tyndall, R. L., and Gilmer, P. J. (1988),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54, 951–956.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Wilson, J. T. and Wilson, B. H. (1985),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 49, 242–243.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Semprini, L., Roberts, P. V., Hopkins, G. D., and McCarty, P. L. (1990),Ground Water 28, 715–727.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lackey, L. W., Phelps, T. J., Korde, V., Nold, S., Ringelberg, D., Bienkowski, P. R., and White, D. C. (1994),Int. Biodeter. Biodegrad. 33, 41–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Phelps, T. J. (1991),J. Microbiol. Methods 13, 243–254.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Enzien, M. V., Picardal, F., Hazen, T. C., Arnold, R. G., and Fliermans, C. B. (1994),Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60, 2200–2204.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 37831-6038, Oak Ridge, TN

    A. V. Palumbo, S. P. Scarborough, S. M. Pfiffner & T. J. Phelps

Authors
  1. A. V. Palumbo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. P. Scarborough
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. M. Pfiffner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. J. Phelps
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The US government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of the contribution, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. Environmental Sciences Division Publication No. 4380.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Palumbo, A.V., Scarborough, S.P., Pfiffner, S.M. et al. Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on thein situ bioremediation of trichloroethylene. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 51, 635–647 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02933465

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02933465

Index Entries

Search

Navigation