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Do you ever wonder why all living species are given Latin names? People rarely use them. When was the last time someone asked if you were a canis lupus familiaris person or a felis silvestris catus person? Most people use the
common name like cat or dog. That holds true almost everywhere, except for the scientific community, including environmental microbiologists.
Environmental microbiologists are compelled to use the Latin species names. Dehalococcoides, for instance, are microorganisms that are of interest to microbiologists specializing in ground water remediation. Maybe the Latin name
provides distinction. After all, it is Dehalococcoides that naturally degrade chlorinated solvents dissolved in ground water through an anaerobic process known as reductive dechlorination.
This naturally occurring process can be accelerated with the addition of an organic substrate, creating optimal conditions to biodegrade chlorinated solvents dissolved in ground water. This process, known as enhanced reductive
dechlorination, alters the biogeochemical conditions of the aquifer and stimulates microbial growth.
Using enhanced reductive dechlorination, a microbial in-situ reactive zone (IRZ) can be engineered to cost effectively treat and manage solvent contaminant plumes in ground water. An IRZ has four functional process zones: injection,
reactive, desorption, and recovery zones.
An organic substrate such as high fructose corn syrup, molasses, vegetable oils, etc. is delivered to the subsurface in the injection zone to stimulate anaerobic biodegradation and develop the conditions suitable for enhanced reductive
dechlorination. Delivery of the substrates establishes a strongly reducing condition that allows anaerobic reductive dechlorination to take place in the reactive zone. A desorption zone forms down gradient of the reactive zone in which a
clean water front develops and migrates through the contaminated aquifer. Propagation of this clean water front withdraws sorbed and static water contaminants from the aquifer.
The metabolic processes of the reactive zone also create by-products such as reduced iron, manganese, dissolved methane, and ethane. These by-products react to chemical exhaustion in the recovery zone, continuing the degradation of
contaminants.
Enhanced reductive dechlorination is fast becoming one of several rapidly emerging in-situ remediation technologies that show promise at significantly improving the environmental quality of distressed properties. With a little manipulation
of the natural environment, Dehalococcoides can extensively improve the quality of ground water resources that have been impacted by chlorinated solvents.
Please contact Brian Washburn, P.E., LEP at 800-246-9021 or
email with any questions.
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