Grantee Research Project Results
2002 Progress Report: Development of the Push-Pull Test to Monitor Bioaugmentation with Dehalogenating Cultures
EPA Grant Number: R828772C006Subproject: this is subproject number 006 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828772
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: National Research Program on Design-Based/Model-Assisted Survey Methodology for Aquatic Resources
Center Director: Stevens, Don L.
Title: Development of the Push-Pull Test to Monitor Bioaugmentation with Dehalogenating Cultures
Investigators: Field, Jennifer , Istok, Jonathan D.
Current Investigators: Field, Jennifer , Istok, Jonathan D. , Dolan, Mark E.
Institution: Oregon State University
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: September 1, 2001 through August 31, 2003
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2001 through August 31, 2002
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Land and Waste Management
Objective:
The overall objective of this research project is to modify the single-well, push-pull groundwater test as a means for obtaining quantitative information on in situ dechlorinating activity before and after bioaugmentation. The specific objectives include: (1) modifying trichlorofluoroethene (TCFE) and fumarate assays to determine trichloroethene (TCE)-transformation potential for use in monitoring bioaugmentation; (2) developing methods for monitoring the transport of dehalogenating cultures during push-pull tests; and (3) evaluating the ability of push-pull tests to monitor changes in TCE-transformation potential resulting from the injection of dehalogenating cultures.
Progress Summary:
Technologies are needed to enhance the in situ remediation of groundwater contaminated by chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (e.g., TCE). Bioaugmentation may be a viable alternative for remediating TCE source zones. Currently, it is difficult to assess whether bioaugmentation increases in in situ dechlorination activity. The single-well "push-pull" tests with the TCE surrogate, TCFE, can provide quantitative information on in situ biological activity and can be modified for use in determining the effectiveness of bioaugmentation.
Currently, the background activity of sediment collected from a site with known indigenous reductive dechlorination activity is characterized with respect to the kinetics of TCFE, fumarate, succinate utilization, and product formation. These three substrates are proposed for this research project as substrates that can be used to assay for reductive dechlorination potential in situ. These microcosm studies determine the relationship between TCFE, fumarate, and succinate prior to initiating these assays in physical aquifer models (PAMs).
Future Activities:
Two cultures (Evanite and Pt. Mugu) that transform TCE to ethene will be characterized in collaboration with Dr. Semprini. The transport of the culture(s) will be determined during injection into anaerobic PAMs. Spatial distributions of dechlorinating activity and redox will be determined from a suite of assays conducted at sampling ports and at the injection/extraction well. Push-pull tests will be conducted at the injection/extraction well to assess changes in reductive dechlorination activity resulting from bioaugmentation.
The PAMs that are in place and under saturated conditions will be driven anaerobically with the introduction of oxygen free water. Dissolved oxygen concentrations will be measured and compared to in situ redox measurements made in collaboration with Dr. Ingle's research project. Once anaerobic conditions are established in the PAMs and verified using these two techniques, the background reductive dechlorination activity will be determined by modifying the TCFE and succinate as necessary for use as assays in the PAMs.
Supplemental Keywords:
push-pull test, bioaugmentation, dehalogenating culture, groundwater, dechlorination, trichloroethene, TCE, trichlorofluorethene, TCFE, contamination, aquifer, physical aquifer model., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Remediation, Restoration, Hazardous Waste, Groundwater remediation, Hazardous, Environmental Engineering, Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, hazardous waste treatment, reductive dehalogenation, in situ treatment, microbial degradation, advanced treatment technologies, in situ remediation, push pull test, TCE degradation, aquifer remediation design, dehalogenation, in-situ bioremediation, contaminated groundwater, groundwater contamination, aquatic ecosystems, reductive dechlorination, contaminated aquifers, bioaugmentation, aquifer remediation, groundwater, in-situ biotransformation, TCEProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R828772 National Research Program on Design-Based/Model-Assisted Survey Methodology for Aquatic Resources Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828772C001 Developing and Optimizing Biotransformation Kinetics for the Bio- remediation of Trichloroethylene at NAPL Source Zone Concentrations
R828772C002 Strategies for Cost-Effective In-situ Mixing of Contaminants
and Additives in Bioremediation
R828772C003 Aerobic Cometabolism of Chlorinated Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Compounds with Butane-Grown Microorganisms
R828772C004 Chemical, Physical, and Biological Processes at the Surface of Palladium Catalysts Under Groundwater Treatment Conditions
R828772C006 Development of the Push-Pull Test to Monitor Bioaugmentation
with Dehalogenating Cultures
R828772C007 Development and Evaluation of Field Sensors for Monitoring
Bioaugmentation with Anaerobic Dehalogenating Cultures for In-Situ Treatment of
TCE
R828772C008 Training and Technology Transfer
R828772C009 Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) and Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) Programs
R828772C010 Aerobic Cometabolism of Chlorinated Ethenes by Microorganisms that Grow on Organic Acids and Alcohols
R828772C011 Development and Evaluation of Field Sensors for Monitoring Anaerobic Dehalogenation after Bioaugmentation for In Situ Treatment of PCE and TCE
R828772C012 Continuous-Flow Column Studies of Reductive Dehalogenation with Two Different Enriched Cultures: Kinetics, Inhibition, and Monitoring of Microbial Activity
R828772C013 Novel Methods for Laboratory Measurement of Transverse Dispersion in Porous Media
R828772C014 The Role of Micropore Structure in Contaminant Sorption and Desorption
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.