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Continuation of an Investigation into the Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
EPA Grant Number: R827015C017Subproject: this is subproject number 017 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827015
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: IPEC University of Tulsa (TU)
Center Director: Sublette, Kerry L.
Title: Continuation of an Investigation into the Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
Investigators: Suflita, Joseph , Townsend, G. Todd
Institution: University of Oklahoma
EPA Project Officer: Krishnan, Bala S.
Project Period: March 1, 2001 through February 28, 2002 (Extended to August 28, 2002)
RFA: Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC) (1999)
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Targeted Research
Description:
Objective:The reliance upon intrinsic bioremediation for the removal of spilt gasoline hydrocarbons has gained increased acceptance as our understanding of the underlying microbial processes has evolved. Regulators and site operators are faced with the difficult challenge of determining which sites are amenable to intrinsic bioremediation and which will require a more active and costly remediation effort. Furthermore, despite the demonstration of the anaerobic biodegradation of a wide range of petroleum hydrocarbons, the acceptance of intrinsic bioremediation as a remedy for petroleum contamination is largely limited to BTEX compounds. Finally, intrinsic bioremediation has not been without controversy and its detractors, many of who view intrinsic bioremediation as a "do-nothing" approach that does not aggressively remediate sites and thus protect public health and the environment. All of these issues are influenced by the inherent difficulty in measuring the biodegradation of hydrocarbon mixtures in the environment.
This proposal is a request to continue and extend an ongoing study on the anaerobic biodegradation of whole gasoline. Specifically, it will address i) the anaerobic removal of BTEX hydrocarbons in the presence of other HC co-contaminants, ii) the prospects for the biodegradation of non-BTEX hydrocarbons present in gasoline spills, iii) the influence of alternate electron acceptors on these processes, iv) the identification of the most recalcitrant components of gasoline as possible biomarkers of anaerobic decay, and v) the identification of unique metabolites of anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation. The project will use sediments from a site contaminated by gas condensate that has demonstrated robust anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradative activities. The removal of over fifty individual components of gasoline will be monitored along with the concurrent consumption of electron acceptors and/or production of reduced products. Extended incubation of the ongoing experiments (> two years) will allow us to define the limits of anaerobic gasoline bioremediation and provide an assessment of gasoline decay under realistic conditions. Furthermore, the initial sequence of anaerobic attack on the most labile fraction of gasoline will be determined during a shorter, forty-day incubation. As unequivocal indicators of hydrocarbon decay, unique novel metabolites of anaerobic biodegradation will be identified by GCMS analysis in parallel incubations. The development of more sophisticated tools to assess intrinsic bioremediation is needed to make sound Risk Based Corrective Action assessments. To this end, we aim to identify both the most recalcitrant compounds of gasoline and unique signature metabolites of anaerobic microbial decay.
Publications and Presentations:Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 2 publications for this subproject | View all 135 publications for this center
Journal Articles:Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 2 journal articles for this subproject | View all 19 journal articles for this center
Supplemental Keywords:Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Geographic Area, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Scientific Discipline, Waste, RFA, Remediation, Biology, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Northwest, Microbiology, Bioavailability, Chemicals, Chemistry, Hazardous Waste, Biochemistry, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Microbiology, Groundwater remediation, Hazardous, Oil Spills, Treatment Technologies, Bioremediation, Engineering, State, risk assessment, gasoline, anaerobic bioconversion, biodegradation, hydrocarbons, anaerobic biodegradation, anaerobic bioremediation, Ft. Lupton, CO, groundwater, risk assessments, electron acceptor, petrochemical waste, biological markers, petroleum contaminants, intrinsic bioremediation, hazardous waste treatment, BTEX
Progress and Final Reports:
2002 Progress Report
Final Report
Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R827015 IPEC University of Tulsa (TU)
Subprojects under this Center:
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827015C001 Evaluation of Road Base Material Derived from Tank Bottom Sludges
R827015C002 Passive Sampling Devices (PSDs) for Bioavailability Screening of Soils Containing Petrochemicals
R827015C003 Demonstration of a Subsurface Drainage System for the Remediation of Brine-Impacted Soil
R827015C004 Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
R827015C005 Microflora Involved in Phytoremediation of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
R827015C006 Microbial Treatment of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)
R827015C007 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
R827015C008 The Use of Nitrate for the Control of Sulfide Formation in Oklahoma Oil Fields
R827015C009 Surfactant-Enhanced Treatment of Oil-Contaminated Soils and Oil-Based Drill Cuttings
R827015C010 Novel Materials for Facile Separation of Petroleum Products from Aqueous Mixtures Via Magnetic Filtration
R827015C011 Development of Relevant Ecological Screening Criteria (RESC) for Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Exploration and Production Sites
R827015C012 Humate-Induced Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Surface Soils
R827015C013 New Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells
R827015C014 Enhancement of Microbial Sulfate Reduction for the Remediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers - A Laboratory and Field Scale Demonstration
R827015C015 Locating Oil-Water Interfaces in Process Vessels
R827015C016 Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R827015C017 Continuation of an Investigation into the Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
R827015C018 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
R827015C019 Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Salt-Impacted Soil by Native Halophiles or Halotolerants and Strategies for Enhanced Degradation
R827015C020 Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of MTBE
R827015C021 Evaluation of Commercial, Microbial-Based Products to Treat Paraffin Deposition in Tank Bottoms and Oil Production Equipment
R827015C022 A Continuation: Humate-Induced Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Surface Soils
R827015C023 Data for Design of Vapor Recovery Units for Crude Oil Stock Tank Emissions
R827015C024 Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Economical Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells
R827015C025 A Continuation of Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R827015C026 Identifying the Signature of the Natural Attenuation of MTBE in Goundwater Using Molecular Methods and "Bug Traps"
R827015C027 Identifying the Signature of Natural Attenuation in the Microbial
Ecology of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater Using Molecular Methods and
"Bug Traps"
R827015C028 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil: Project Continuation
R827015C030 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
R827015C031 Evaluation of Sub-micellar Synthetic Surfactants versus Biosurfactants for Enhanced LNAPL Recovery
R827015C032 Utilization of the Carbon and Hydrogen Isotopic Composition of Individual Compounds in Refined Hydrocarbon Products To Monitor Their Fate in the Environment
R830633 Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC)
R830633C001 Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Economical Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells (Phase II)
R830633C002 A Continuation of Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R830633C003 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
R830633C004 Evaluation of Sub-micellar Synthetic Surfactants versus Biosurfactants for Enhanced LNAPL Recovery
R830633C005 Utilization of the Carbon and Hydrogen Isotopic Composition of Individual Compounds in Refined Hydrocarbon Products To Monitor Their Fate in the Environment
R830633C006 Evaluation of Commercial, Microbial-Based Products to Treat Paraffin Deposition in Tank Bottoms and Oil Production Equipment
R830633C007 Identifying the Signature of the Natural Attenuation in the Microbial Ecology of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater Using Molecular Methods and “Bug Traps”
R830633C008 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil: Project Continuation
R830633C009 Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites
X832428C001 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
X832428C002 Paraffin Control in Oil Wells Using Anaerobic Microorganisms
X832428C003 Fiber Rolls as a Tool for Re-Vegetation of Oil-Brine Contaminated Watersheds