Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Microcosm Study In The Reductive Dechlorination Of Tetrachloroethylene Using Fermentation Acids And Alcohols As Electron Donors, Anthony Siccard Iii

Theses

Anaerobic microcosms of Arthur Kill (New Jersey) sediment were used to investigate the effects of several electron donors on tetrachloroethylene (PCE) dechlorination activity. The substates tested were methanol, butanol, butyrate, lactate and succinate both by themselves and in various combinations. Different levels of PCE dehalogenation were noticed in all of the microcosms regardless of the electron donor used. Vinyl chloride was the major dehalogenation product detected in the majority of the microcosms. The causitive organism or group that carried our the reductive dehalogenation was not identified. Only the microcosms admended with a mixture of butanol/methanol were able to fully reduce …

Reductive Dehalogenation Of Chlorinated Aromatic And Aliphatic Hydrocarbons Under Anaerobic Conditions, Monica Turner Togna

Dissertations

The process of reductive dehalogenation involves the removal of a halogen substituent from a molecule with the concurrent addition of electrons to the molecule, resulting in a more reduced and often less toxic product. Anaerobic bacteria have the potential to utilize hazardous chlorinated aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons as electron acceptors in metabolic reductive dehalogenation processes.

In experiments performed with chlorinated aromatic compounds a highly enriched anaerobic culture stoichiometrically converted 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) to 4-monochlorophenol. Dehalogenation occurred only in alkaline media (pH 8-9) at concentrations of 2,4,6-TCP up to 1 mM. Data indicated that the dehalogenating organism did not fit into any …