Abstract
The solvent tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a common soil contaminant, can be completely dechlorinated to ethylene and ethane by microorganisms under anaerobic conditions. Ethylene and ethane are harmless and environmentally acceptable products. This study was conducted to investigate factors influencing on an anaerobic bioremediation of PCE-contaminated soil.
An anaerobic enrichment culture, which is capable of dechlorinating PCE completely, sustained its transformation ability in the presence of soil, although the activity was lowered. Addition of the enrichment culture was indispensable for progressing complete dechlorination of PCE in actual contaminated soils. PCE contained in soil was first leached to liquid-phase and then dechlorinated. Therefore, desorbing rate of PCE from soil was an important factor in the bioremediation. PCE was also dechlorinated to ethylene and ethane under the condition of low liquid/solid (L/S) ratio of 0.2l · kg-1 by adding the enrichment culture.
