Abstract.
Intrinsic biodegradation of toluene coupled with the microbial reduction of ferric iron (Fe(III)) as the terminal electron acceptor was studied by using laboratory column experiments under continuous flow conditions. Columns were packed with contaminated aquifer sediment and N2-purged groundwater taken from the western part of the Gardermoen aquifer. The columns were operated anaerobically at 8 °C (in-situ temperature). Chloride was initially used to characterize flow properties of the columns. Intrinsic biodegradation of toluene, including abiotic loss and biological loss, was estimated by comparing breakthrough curves of toluene for live columns and sterilized control columns based on mass balance in steady-state conditions. The column experiments were run at two different flow velocities. The estimated average intrinsic rate was –0.73 and –0.53 mM day–1 for pore-water velocities of 1.75 and 2.68 cm h–1, respectively, corresponding to –0.27 and –0.22 mM day–1 in biological loss rate. The results indicate that intrinsic biodegradation of toluene could be used as an efficient remediation approach for contaminated groundwater at the Gardermoen fire-fighting training site.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Electronic Publication
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zheng, Z., Aagaard, P. & Breedveld, G.D. Intrinsic biodegradation of toluene coupled to the microbial reduction of ferric iron: laboratory column experiments. Env Geol 42, 649–656 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-002-0569-0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-002-0569-0