The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Bioremediation of 2-chlorophenol in a laboratory soil column
Author:	Coon, Timothy A.
View Online:	njit-etd1995-129 (xii, 79 pages ~ 2.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Environmental Science
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Lewandowski, Gordon (Committee chair) Trattner, Richard B. (Committee member) Armenante, Piero M. (Committee member)
Date:	1995-01
Keywords:	Bioremediation. Chlorophenols -- Biodegradation. Academic theses
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	In-situ bioremediation offers the prospect of rendering organic contaminants harmless without having to remove them from the subsurface. It involves the modification of environmental factors to stimulate the biodegradation of chemicals in the subsurface by microorganisms. However, for the cost-effective use of in-situ bioremediation, it is necessary to develop accurate engineering models to quantify biodegradation. In this thesis, the biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol in a laboratory soil column was examined in order to experimentally verify an engineering model. Experiments were performed to obtain the physical and biological parameters required by the model, and the steady-state 2-chlorophenol distribution in the column. A number of problems were encountered in obtaining consistent, reliable data. These problems were related to the use of a mixed microbial population, and the lack of significant adsorption on humic-free soil. A simplified version of the model indicated that most of the biomass was located in the lower (feed) end of the soil column.