Enhancement of aerobic microbial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl in soil microcosms

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2003 Apr;22(4):699-705.

Abstract

This article reports the results of various biodegradation experiments on polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated sandy soil employing a mixed culture of acclimatized bacteria. Following the optimization of different variables without chemical pretreatment, the elimination rate achieved of Aroclor 1242 in slurry-phase reactors was 61% after four months of treatment, with the presence of biphenyl as cosubstrate being the most important factor affecting PCB biodegradation. The biodegradation occurred as a first-order process, and it proved most effective in respect to dichlorinated biphenyls (100% removal), followed by trichlorinated (92%) and tetrachlorinated biphenyls (24%). The results also showed that the degradability of PCBs in soil may be enhanced by an advanced oxidation pretreatment (Fenton reaction), producing almost 100% elimination of PCBs at the end of the integrated chemical-biological process and 72% mineralization of the intermediates generated during the chemical pretreatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerobiosis
  • Aroclors / chemistry
  • Aroclors / metabolism
  • Bacteria, Aerobic / metabolism*
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Carbon / metabolism
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kinetics
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / chemistry
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / metabolism*
  • Soil / analysis*
  • Soil Microbiology*
  • Soil Pollutants / metabolism*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Aroclors
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants
  • aroclor 1242
  • Carbon
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls