Application of a Biostimulation Model to Trichloroethylene Transformation in Soil Column Tests

Abstract

A transport-degradation model for trichloroethylene (TCE) with a modified competitve inhibition Monod kinetics, product toxicity and TCE sorption in soil was developed for the simulation of TCE removal from soil columns. The simulation results were compared with the experimental data. They show quantitatively good agreements with experimental data of TCE removal and carbon source degradation in the soil column amended with methane or aromatic compounds. Parameter sensitivity analysis of the model also shows that the TCE removal rate is highly sensitive to changes in yield coefficient, carbon source concentration, TCE concentration, and transformation capacity. However, it is relatively nonsensitive to changes in the maximum rate of TCE transformation and the half-velocity constant. This model could be an effective tool for predicting the treatability of a biostimulation approach to an aquifer contaminated with TCE.