Evaluation of trichloroethylene and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene bioremediation in groundwater

To evaluate the potential for bioremediation of trichloroethylene (TCE) and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-1,2-DCE)-contaminated groundwater, a bench-scale study was conducted using soil and groundwater collected from the Landfill 4 site at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Numerous studies have demonstrated that aerobic microorganisms are capable of degrading TCE and other chlorinated organics by cometabolizing various aromatic compounds such as toluene, phenol, or specific amino acids. The Offutt soil column study was designed to evaluate aerobic cometabolism of the contaminants through the addition of phenol and tyrosine to groundwater during soil column exchanges. Reductive dehalogenation was evaluated by promoting anaerobic conditions.