Bioenhanced back diffusion and population dynamics of Dehalococcoides mccartyi strains in heterogeneous porous media

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 254; p. 126842
• Main Authors: Hnatko, Jason P., Yang, Lurong, Pennell, Kurt D., Abriola, Linda M., Cápiro, Natalie L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2020
• Subjects: Back diffusion; Bioenhanced mass transfer; Bioremediation; Dehalococcoides mccartyi; Low-permeability media; Trichloroethene; Dehalococcoides mccartyi; Low-permeability media; Trichloroethene; Bioremediation; Bioenhanced mass transfer; Back diffusion
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126842
• EISSN: 1879-1298
• ISSN: 0045-6535

Diffusion, sorption-desorption, and biodegradation influence chlorinated solvent storage in, and release (mass flux) from, low-permeability media. Although bioenhanced dissolution of non-aqueous phase liquids has been well-documented, less attention has been directed towards biologically-mediated enhanced diffusion from low-permeability media. This process was investigated using a heterogeneous aquifer cell, packed with 20–30 mesh Ottawa sand and lenses of varying permeability (1.0 × 10−12-1.2 × 10−11 m2) and organic carbon (OC) content (<0.1%–2%), underlain by trichloroethene (TCE)-saturated clay. Initial contaminant loading was attained by flushing with 0.5 mM TCE. Total chlorinated ethenes removal by hydraulic flushing was then compared for abiotic and bioaugmented systems (KB-1® SIREM; Guelph, ON). A numerical model incorporating coupled diffusion and (de)sorption facilitated quantification of bio-enhanced TCE release from low-permeability lenses, which ranged from 6% to 53%. Although Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) 16S rRNA genes were uniformly distributed throughout the porous media, strain-specific distribution, as indicated by the reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes vcrA, bvcA, and tceA, was influenced by physical and chemical heterogeneity. Cells harboring the bvcA gene comprised 44% of the total RDase genes in the lower clay layer and media surrounding high OC lenses, but only 2% of RDase genes at other locations. Conversely, cells harboring the vcrA gene comprised 50% of RDase genes in low-permeability media compared with 85% at other locations. These results demonstrate the influence of microbial processes on back diffusion, which was most evident in regions with pronounced contrasts in permeability and OC content. Bioenhanced mass transfer and changes in the relative abundance of Dhc strains are likely to impact bioremediation performance in heterogeneous systems.
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•Organohalide respiring bacteria enhanced mass transfer from low-permeability regions.•Numerical models quantified bioenhancement of back diffusion up to 53%.•Bioenhancement was most pronounced near materials of contrasting permeability.•Dehalococcoides cells were able to penetrate low-permeability media, including clays.•Dehalococcoides strain distribution was influenced by available electron acceptor.