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| Title: | Phytoremediation of BTEX hydrocarbons: potential impacts of diurnal groundwater fluctuation on microbial degradation |
| Author (s): | Weishaar, Jeff A. Tsao, David Burken, Joel G. |
| Department/Lab Affiliations: | Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering Energy Research and Development Center Environmental Research Center |
| Keywords: | BTEX aerobic degradation |
| Subject Terms: | Petroleum. Phytoremediation. Rhizosphere. |
| Issue Date: | 2009-07 |
| Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
| Citation: | Weishaar, Jeff A., David Tsao, and Joel G. Burken. “Phytoremediation of BTEX hydrocarbons: Potential impacts of diurnal groundwater fluctuation on microbial degradation.” International Journal of Phytoremediation, Vol 11, Issue 5, (July 2009): 509-523. |
| Abstract: | Volatile hydrocarbons have multiple potential fates in phytoremediation. This research investigated the relationship between biodegradation and plant uptake of BTEX compounds in laboratory and field settings. At a phytoremediation site, preliminary studies revealed minimal uptake into trees and enhanced degradation potential in the rhizosphere and in the bulk soil. Increased oxygen transport to the vadose zone caused by diurnal rise and fall of the water table was hypothesized to enhance degradation in the bulk soil. A detailed greenhouse study was then conducted to investigate potential bioremediation impacts using field-site soil and DN34 hybrid poplar trees. In rhizosphere soils, the contaminated-planted reactor had significantly higher BTEX degrader populations versus the uncontaminated-planted reactor, as was anticipated. The bulk soil in the planted-contaminated reactor had increased degrader populations than the unplanted-contaminated soil or planted-uncontaminated soil, and planting increased degradation throughout the soil profile, not just in the limited volume of rhizosphere soils. Oxygen diffusive and advective transport into reactors was modeled and calculated. Oxygen input in planted reactors was at least 3 to 5 times higher than in unplanted reactors, and increasing oxygen input lead to increased degrader populations in a linear manner. These results combined with the knowledge that high-transpiration trees draw the contaminated groundwater to the capillary fringe and the rhizosphere indicate that phytoremediation can aid microbial degradation via multiple mechanisms: increasing degrader populations, increasing oxygen input via groundwater diurnal fluctuations, and transporting contaminants to the biologically-enriched soil profile. |
| Type: | Article - Journal text |
| In Title: | International Journal of Phytoremediation |
| Copyright Notice: | This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. Pre-print: author can archive; Post-print: author can archive with restrictions;Restriction: 12 month embargo for STM Journals;18 month embargo for SSH journals; Conditions: Pre-print allowed on author website, institutions intranet, institutional repository;Post-print on author website, institutions intranet, institutional or subject repository;Publisher copyright and source must be acknowledged with set phrases [see policy];On a non-profit server;Authors version only;Must link to publisher version; FULL COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: |
| Publisher URL: | |
| Link to this page: |
| title | Phytoremediation of BTEX hydrocarbons: potential impacts of diurnal groundwater fluctuation on microbial degradation |
| contributor.author | Weishaar, Jeff A. |
| contributor.author | Tsao, David |
| contributor.author | Burken, Joel G. |
| contributor.deptlab | Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering |
| contributor.deptlab | Energy Research and Development Center |
| contributor.deptlab | Environmental Research Center |
| subject | BTEX |
| subject | aerobic degradation |
| subject.LCSH | Petroleum. |
| subject.LCSH | Phytoremediation. |
| subject.LCSH | Rhizosphere. |
| date.issued | 2009-07 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| identifier.citation | Weishaar, Jeff A., David Tsao, and Joel G. Burken. “Phytoremediation of BTEX hydrocarbons: Potential impacts of diurnal groundwater fluctuation on microbial degradation.” International Journal of Phytoremediation, Vol 11, Issue 5, (July 2009): 509-523. |
| identifier.pub.URI | |
| description.abstract | Volatile hydrocarbons have multiple potential fates in phytoremediation. This research investigated the relationship between biodegradation and plant uptake of BTEX compounds in laboratory and field settings. At a phytoremediation site, preliminary studies revealed minimal uptake into trees and enhanced degradation potential in the rhizosphere and in the bulk soil. Increased oxygen transport to the vadose zone caused by diurnal rise and fall of the water table was hypothesized to enhance degradation in the bulk soil. A detailed greenhouse study was then conducted to investigate potential bioremediation impacts using field-site soil and DN34 hybrid poplar trees. In rhizosphere soils, the contaminated-planted reactor had significantly higher BTEX degrader populations versus the uncontaminated-planted reactor, as was anticipated. The bulk soil in the planted-contaminated reactor had increased degrader populations than the unplanted-contaminated soil or planted-uncontaminated soil, and planting increased degradation throughout the soil profile, not just in the limited volume of rhizosphere soils. Oxygen diffusive and advective transport into reactors was modeled and calculated. Oxygen input in planted reactors was at least 3 to 5 times higher than in unplanted reactors, and increasing oxygen input lead to increased degrader populations in a linear manner. These results combined with the knowledge that high-transpiration trees draw the contaminated groundwater to the capillary fringe and the rhizosphere indicate that phytoremediation can aid microbial degradation via multiple mechanisms: increasing degrader populations, increasing oxygen input via groundwater diurnal fluctuations, and transporting contaminants to the biologically-enriched soil profile. |
| type | Article - Journal |
| type.DCMIType | text |
| type.status | Postprint |
| relation.isPartOf | International Journal of Phytoremediation |
| rights | This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. |
| rights | Pre-print: author can archive; Post-print: author can archive with restrictions;Restriction: 12 month embargo for STM Journals;18 month embargo for SSH journals; Conditions: Pre-print allowed on author website, institutions intranet, institutional repository;Post-print on author website, institutions intranet, institutional or subject repository;Publisher copyright and source must be acknowledged with set phrases [see policy];On a non-profit server;Authors version only;Must link to publisher version; |
| rights.URI | |
| identifier.persist.URI | |
| date.available | 2009-04-15T18:37:11Z |