Compound specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) has been proven as an effective tool to assess degradation of environmental organic contaminants. Here, we report laboratory-derived isotopic fractionation data on biodegradation and abiotic degradation/removal of 1,4-dioxane, a probable human carcinogen increasingly detected as an emerging contaminant in groundwater. While biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane by aerobic bacterium Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans CB1190 fractionated both stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes, physical processes fractionated only the hydrogen isotope. The results suggest that C-CSIA alone might be a promising tool to differentiate biodegradation from abiotic processes. Plotting of d13C vs. d2H data from biodegradation, sonolytical degradation, and aeration resulted in slopes of 31, -231, and 85, respectively, suggesting that dual stable hydrogen and carbon isotope analysis can be used for mechanistic differentiation among these removal processes. This study is the first to demonstrate the application of two-dimensional compound specific isotope analysis as a sensitive monitoring tool for degradation of 1,4-dioxane.

Characterization of 1,4-dioxane biodegradation by compound-specific isotope analysis

248th National Meeting (2014)

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