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Effect of geochemical conditions on fate of organic compounds in groundwater

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

In situ microcosms were successfully used to study the degradation of a range of organic compounds in two pristine aquifers, one aerobic (Vejen) and one anaerobic (Villa Farm). Degradation and sorption behavior in the laboratory column microcosms packed with Villa Farm sediment was very similar to that in the in situ microcosms. However, when the columns were packed with quartz and equilibrated with aerated Villa Farm groundwater, behavior mirrored that at Vejen, indicating that oxygen rather than sediment or groundwater composition was the critical parameter. The aromatic and polyaromatic compounds (benzene, toluene,o-xylene, naphthalene) degraded under aerobic conditions only. The organochlorine compounds (trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,4-dichlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene) showed little or no sign of degradation either aerobically or anaerobically. Interpretation of the data was complicated by strong sorption to the Villa Farm sediment but tetrachloromethane, nitrobenzene, ando-nitrophenol appeared to degrade under anaerobic conditions only. Phenol degraded rapidly under both sets of conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Geological Survey, NG12 5GG, Keyworth, Nottingham, UK

    J. J. W. Higgo, M. P. Bannon & I. Harrison

  2. Institute of Environmental Science & Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

    P. H. Nielsen & T. H. Christensen

Authors
  1. J. J. W. Higgo
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  2. P. H. Nielsen
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  3. M. P. Bannon
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  4. I. Harrison
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  5. T. H. Christensen
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Higgo, J.J.W., Nielsen, P.H., Bannon, M.P. et al. Effect of geochemical conditions on fate of organic compounds in groundwater. Geo 27, 335–346 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00766703

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00766703

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