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Complete Biological Dehalogenation of Chlorinated Ethylenes in Sulfate Containing Groundwater

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Abstract

The ability of dehalogenating bacteria to compete with sulfate reducing bacteria forelectron donor was studied in microcosms that simulated groundwater contaminatedwith both chlorinated ethylenes and fuel hydrocarbon compounds. Results demonstratethat reductive dehalogenation of perchloroethylene to ethylene can proceed in thepresence of >100 mg l-1 sulfate. The hydrogen concentration, which was2.5 nM in the presence of approximately 150 mg l-1 sulfate and in the absence of chlorinated compounds, decreased to 0.7 nM during the dechlorination oftrichloroethylene and increased to 1.6 nM during the dechlorination ofcis-dichloroethylene and vinyl chloride. With only sediment associated donor(``historical'' donor) present, dechlorination of trichloroethylene proceededslowly to ethylene (on a time scale of several years). Addition of toluene, amodel hydrocarbon compound, stimulated dechlorination indirectly. Toluenedegradation was rapid and linked to sulfate utilization, and presumably formedfermentable substrates that served as hydrogen donors. Dehalogenation wasinhibited in soil free microcosms containing 5 mM sulfide, but inhibition wasnot observed when either aquifer sediment or 5 mM ferrous chloride was added.

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Authors
  1. T.P. Hoelen
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  2. M. Reinhard
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Hoelen, T., Reinhard, M. Complete Biological Dehalogenation of Chlorinated Ethylenes in Sulfate Containing Groundwater. Biodegradation 15, 395–403 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BIOD.0000044592.33729.d6

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