TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of geochemical conditions on fate of organic compounds in groundwater
AU - Higgo, J.J.W.
AU - Nielsen, P.H.
AU - Bannon, M.P.
AU - Harrison, I.
AU - Christensen, T.H.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - In situ microcosms were successfully used to study the degradation of a range of organic compounds in two pristine aquifers, one aerobic (Vejen) and one anaerobic (Villa Farm). Degradation and sorption behavior in the laboratory column microcosms packed with Villa Farm sediment was very similar to that in the in situ microcosms. However, when the columns were packed with quartz and equilibrated with aerated Villa Farm groundwater, behavior mirrored that at Vejen, indicating that oxygen rather than sediment or groundwater composition was the critical parameter. The aromatic and polyaromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, o-xylene, naphthalene) degraded under aerobic conditions only. The organochlorine compounds (trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,4- dichlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene) showed little or no sign of degradation either aerobically or anaerobically. Interpretation of the data was complicated by strong sorption to the Villa Farm sediment but tetrachloromethane, nitrobenzene, and o-nitrophenol appeared to degrade under anaerobic conditions only. Phenol degraded rapidly under both sets of conditions.
AB - In situ microcosms were successfully used to study the degradation of a range of organic compounds in two pristine aquifers, one aerobic (Vejen) and one anaerobic (Villa Farm). Degradation and sorption behavior in the laboratory column microcosms packed with Villa Farm sediment was very similar to that in the in situ microcosms. However, when the columns were packed with quartz and equilibrated with aerated Villa Farm groundwater, behavior mirrored that at Vejen, indicating that oxygen rather than sediment or groundwater composition was the critical parameter. The aromatic and polyaromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, o-xylene, naphthalene) degraded under aerobic conditions only. The organochlorine compounds (trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,4- dichlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene) showed little or no sign of degradation either aerobically or anaerobically. Interpretation of the data was complicated by strong sorption to the Villa Farm sediment but tetrachloromethane, nitrobenzene, and o-nitrophenol appeared to degrade under anaerobic conditions only. Phenol degraded rapidly under both sets of conditions.
U2 - 10.1007/BF00766703
DO - 10.1007/BF00766703
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0943-0105
VL - 27
SP - 335
EP - 346
JO - Environmental Geology
JF - Environmental Geology
IS - 4
ER -