Laboratory, Field, and Modeling Studies of Bioaugmentation Of
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Advances in Water Resources 30 (2007) 1528–1546 www.elsevier.com/locate/advwatres Laboratory, field, and modeling studies of bioaugmentation of butane-utilizing microorganisms for the in situ cometabolic treatment of 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane Lewis Semprini a,*, Mark E. Dolan a, Maureen A. Mathias a, Gary D. Hopkins b, Perry L. McCarty b a Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Apperson Hall 202, Corvallis, OR 97331-2302, United States b Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, United States Received 29 July 2005; received in revised form 10 April 2006; accepted 5 May 2006 Available online 18 September 2006 Abstract A series of laboratory, field, and modeling studies were performed evaluating the potential for in situ aerobic cometabolism of chlo- rinated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CAH) mixtures, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCA) and 1,1- dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) by bioaugmented microorganisms that grew on butane. A butane-grown bioaugmentation culture, primarily comprised of a Rhodococcus sp., was developed that effectively transformed mixtures of the three CAHs, under subsurface nutrient con- ditions. Microcosm experiments and modeling studies showed rapid transformation of 1,1-DCE with high transformation product tox- icity and weak inhibition by butane, while 1,1,1-TCA was much more slowly transformed and strongly inhibited by butane. Field studies were conducted in the saturated zone at the Moffett Field In-Situ Test Facility in California. In the bioaugmented test leg, 1,1-DCE was most effectively transformed, followed by 1,1-DCA, and 1,1,1-TCA, consistent with the results from the laboratory studies. A 1-D reac- tive/transport code simulated the field responses during the early stages of testing (first 20 days), with the following extents of removal achieved at the first monitoring well; 1,1-DCE (97%), 1,1-DCA (77%), and 1,1,1-TCA (36%), with little or no CAH transformation observed beyond the first monitoring well. As time proceeded, decreased performance was observed. The modeling analysis indicated that this loss of performance may have been associated with 1,1-DCE transformation toxicity combined with the limited addition of butane as a growth substrate with longer pulse cycles. When shorter pulse cycles were reinitiated after 40 days of operation, 1,1-DCE transformation was restored and the following transformation extents were achieved; 1,1-DCE (94%), 1,1-DCA (8%), and 1,1,1- TCA (0%), with some CAH transformation occurring past the first monitoring well. Modeling analysis of this period indicated that the bioaugmented culture was likely not the dominant butane-utilizing microorganism present. This was consistent with observations in the indigenous leg during this period that showed effective butane utilization and the following extents of transformation: 1,1- DCE (86 %), 1,1-DCA (5%), and 1,1,1-TCA (0%). The combination of lab and field scale studies and supporting modeling provide a means of evaluating the performance of bioaugmentation and the cometabolic treatment of CAH mixtures. Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Cometabolism; Modeling; Field tests; Bioaugmentation; Butane; 1,1-Dichloroethene, 1,1-Dichloroethane; 1,1,1-Trichloroethane; Inhibition; Transformation toxicity; CAH mixtures 1. Introduction In situ aerobic cometabolism has been shown to be a method for reducing groundwater contamination with * Corresponding author. Fax: +1 541 7373099. chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) [26,12,21]. E-mail address: [email protected] (L. Semprini). Cometabolic transformation results from non-specific 0309-1708/$ - see front matter Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2006.05.017 L. Semprini et al. / Advances in Water Resources 30 (2007) 1528–1546 1529 Nomenclature Parameter Definition X cell concentration on a pore volume basis (mg/L) KIc,DCE,BUT competitive inhibition constant of 1,1-DCE X0 initial cell concentration on a pore volume basis on butane (mg/L) (mg/L) KIc,DCA,BUT competitive inhibition constant of 1,1- Y cell yield (mg cells/mg butane) DCA on butane (mg/L) b cell decay coefficient (dÀ1) KIc,TCA,BUT competitive inhibition constant of 1,1,1- Fa stoichiometric ratio of oxygen to butane for bio- TCA on butane (mg/L) mass synthesis (mg O2/mg butane) KIc,DCE,DCA competitive inhibition constant of 1,1-DCE VL liquid volume (L) on 1,1-DCA (mg/L) VG gas volume (L) À1 KIc,DCE,TCA competitive inhibition constant of 1,1-DCE Kla overall gas/liquid mass transfer coefficient (d ) on 1,1,1-TCA (mg/L) km DCE maximum transformation rate of 1,1-DCE (mg KIc,DCA,DCE competitive inhibition constant of 1,1- 1,1-DCE/mg cells-d) DCA on 1,1-DCE (mg/L) km DCA maximum transformation rate of 1,1-DCA (mg KIc,DCA,TCA competitive inhibition constant of 1,1- 1,1-DCA/mg cells-d) DCA on 1,1,1-TCA (mg/L) km TCA maximum transformation rate of 1,1,1-TCA KIc,TCA,DCE competitive inhibition constant of 1,1,1- (mg 1,1,1-TCA/mg cells-d) TCA on 1,1-DCE (mg/L) km BUT maximum utilization rate of butane (mg butane/ KIc,TCA,DCA competitive inhibition constant of 1,1,1- mg cell-d) TCA on 1,1-DCA (mg/L) C aqueous substrate concentration (mg/L) KIc,BUT,DCE competitive inhibition constant of butane Ks DCE half-saturation constant of 1,1-DCE (mg/L) on 1,1-DCE (mg/L) Ks DCA half-saturation constant of 1,1-DCA (mg/L) KIc,BUT,DCA competitive inhibition constant of butane Ks TCA half-saturation constant of 1,1,1-TCA (mg/L) on 1,1-DCA (mg/L) Ks BUT half-saturation constant of butane (mg/L) KIc,BUT,TCA competitive inhibition constant of butane Tc DCE transformation capacity of 1,1-DCE (mg 1,1- on 1,1,1-TCA (mg/L) DCE/mg cells) KIu,BUT,DCE non-competitive inhibition constant of bu- Tc DCA transformation capacity of 1,1-DCA (mg 1,1- tane on 1,1-DCE (mg/L) DCA/mg cells) KIu,BUT,DCA non-competitive inhibition constant of bu- Tc TCA transformation capacity of 1,1,1-TCA (mg tane on 1,1-DCA (mg/L) 1,1,1-TCA/mg cells) * KIu,BUT,TCA non-competitive inhibition constant of bu- C sorbed phase substrate concentration (mg sub- tane on 1,1,1-TCA (mg/L) strate/kg soil) 2 Hcc,DCE dimensionless Henrys constant for 1,1-DCE Dh hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient (m /d) À1 Hcc,DCA dimensionless Henrys constant for 1,1-DCA Fk mass transfer rate coefficient for sorption (d ) Hcc,TCA dimensionless Henrys constant for 1,1,1-TCA v average linear groundwater velocity (m/d) Hcc,BUT dimensionless Henrys constant for butane Kd partition coefficient for sorption (L/kg) fd fraction of cells that are biodegradable (mg/mg) U porosity dc cell decay oxygen demand (mg O2/mg cell) qb bulk density of the aquifer solids (kg/L) enzymes fortuitously catalyzing these reactions. Because Microorganisms that grow on butane have the ability to these reactions do not provide energy or carbon, a primary cometabolize a broad range of CAHs [9,8,15,14]. Microor- growth substrate must be supplied to stimulate the neces- ganisms stimulated on butane are capable of transform- sary population of cometabolizing microorganisms. In oxi- ing 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE), 1,1-dichloroethane dative cometabolism, the enzymes use the primary growth (1,1-DCA), and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) [17]. substrate as an electron donor and oxygen as an electron Kim et al. [16,17] performed detailed kinetic and inhibition acceptor. studies on the cometabolic transformation of these three The performance of cultures capable of cometabolic oxi- CAHs with a butane-grown enrichment culture. 1,1-DCE dative dechlorination has been studied for a variety of con- was observed to have the fastest transformation kinetics, taminants and primary growth substrates as reviewed by followed by 1,1-DCA, and 1,1,1-TCA. Inhibition models Arp et al. [4] and Alvarez-Cohen and Speitel [2]. Examples were also determined for butane inhibition on CAH trans- of monooxygenase-inducing substrates include methane, formation, CAH inhibition on butane utilization, and propane, ammonia, toluene, and phenol [9,8,3,5]. CAH inhibition on each others’ transformation. These 1530 L. Semprini et al. / Advances in Water Resources 30 (2007) 1528–1546 inhibitions play an important role in application of comet- substrate, PR1301 did not maintain TCE degradative ability abolic transformations and are incorporated into our for long periods. model development. A microcosm study with the butane-enrichment culture Glotz et al. [7] reviewed models for cometabolism, of Kim et al. [16] was conducted by Jitnuyanont et al. [13] including transport models and the use of models in the to study the transformation of 1,1,1-TCA in bioaugmented design of remediation systems. The modeling of cometab- and non-augmented microcosms. The augmented micro- olism both in batch systems and transport codes involves cosms required less time to start utilization of butane than the incorporation of processes including microbial growth non-augmented microcosms and initially were more effec- and decay, substrate utilization as an electron donor, oxy- tive in transforming 1,1,1-TCA, but their transformation gen utilization as an electron acceptor, and the transfor- ability decreased with prolonged incubation. mation of the CAHs of interest. The multi-species The objectives of our study were to: (1) develop a culture reactive transport models must also include key cometa- for bioaugmentation from a parent culture that had been bolic processes including the kinetics of different inhibi- kinetically well characterized by Kim et al.