Grantee Research Project Results
Sequential Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Soil Microcosms
EPA Grant Number: U915350Title: Sequential Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Soil Microcosms
Investigators: Rogers, Julia D.
Institution: Colorado State University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: July 1, 1998 through July 1, 2001
Project Amount: $44,176
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Academic Fellowships , Safer Chemicals , Fellowship - Chemical Engineering
Objective:
The objective of this research project is to determine the relationships between engineering variables, microbial community composition, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mineralization in the sequential anaerobic-aerobic bioremediation of PCB-contaminated soil.
Approach:
The first phase of this research project involves batch soil-slurry microcosm experiments, which will allow for the rapid screening of multiple treatments simultaneously. The second set of experiments will use flow-through microcosms that approximate more "real world" conditions of soil contamination in the vadose zone. The flow-through soil microcosms are designed to simulate the manipulations required for successful in situ bioremediation of vadose zone contamination such as flooding and the addition of nutrients to initiate anaerobiosis followed by addition of hydrogen peroxide or oxygenated water to initiate aerobiosis for the next phase. To correlate changes in microbial community composition with observed changes in PCB transformation, a combination of genotypic (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) and phenotypic microbiological techniques (phospholipid fatty acid analysis) is being utilized.
Supplemental Keywords:
fellowship, chemical mixtures, engineering, microbial ecology, polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB, mineralization, anaerobic bioremediation, aerobic bioremediation, vadose zone, aerobiosis, anaerobiosis, genotypic microbiological techniques, phenotypic microbiological techniques, phospholipid fatty acid, PLFA, microcosm, polymerase chain reaction, PCR, soil contamination., Scientific Discipline, Toxics, Waste, National Recommended Water Quality, Remediation, Environmental Chemistry, HAPS, Bioremediation, Environmental Engineering, anaerobic treatment, PCB contamination, PCBs, microcosm, PCB contaminated soil, contaminated soil, anaerobic-aerobic treatment, anaerobic-aerboic treatment, PCB, Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs:, sequential anaerobic-aerobic treatmentProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.