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NITRATE FOR BIORESTORATION OF AN AQUIFER CONTAMINATED WITH JET FUEL
Citation:
Hutchins*, S R., W. C. DOWNS, G. B. SMITH, J T. Wilson*, D. J. HENDRIX, D. D. FINE, R. H. DOUGLASS, AND F. A. GLAHA. NITRATE FOR BIORESTORATION OF AN AQUIFER CONTAMINATED WITH JET FUEL. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/2-91/009 (NTIS 91-164285).
Description:
There is little information available in the open literature on the performance of bioremediation at field scale. The report documents the rate and extent of treatment of a spill of JP-4 in a drinking-water aquifer, using nitrate as the primary electron acceptor for microbial respiration of the contaminant hydrocarbons. Nitrate has theoretical advantages over the more traditional electron acceptors used in the United States. It is much more soluble than oxygen, and less costly and less toxic than hydrogen peroxide. Ground water amended with nitrate and mineral nutrients was recirculated through a 10 m by 10 m study area. After 165 days the individual concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes were below 5 microgram/l in monitoring wells under the study area. The concentration of benzene was below 0.1 microgram/l. Some of the removal of alkylbenzenes may have been due to low concentrations of oxygen (0.5 mg/l) in the recirculation water.