An anaerobic, fixed film bioreactor system, inoculated with the WBC-2 dechlorinating consortium, is being evaluated at a bench scale (3 liters) and pilot scale (11,500 liters) for treatment of groundwater extracted from sites contaminated with mixtures of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chlorinated ethanes and ethenes at two sites and chlorinated benzenes at another.  Complete dechlorination of chlorinated ethanes and ethenes (inflow concentrations from 0.25 to 5.0 milligrams per liter) to concentrations below the permit requirements (0.1 milligrams per liter total VOCs) has been achieved with 15 to 20 hour retention times in the flow through system.  Degradation rates and pathways have been quantified for individual chlorinated ethanes and ethenes with lactate, corn syrup, and hydrogen as electron donors.  Initial testing with chlorinated benzenes is promising. Cost and carbon footprint analyses suggest that using a bioremediation system offers improved sustainability compared to a conventional treatment plant.

Anaerobic bioreactor system for treatment of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds

244th National Meeting (2012)

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