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The Influence of In Situ Chemical Oxidation on Microbial Community Composition in Groundwater Contaminated with Chlorinated Solvents

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Abstract

In situ chemical oxidation with permanganate has become an accepted remedial treatment for groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents. This study focuses on the immediate and short-term effects of sodium permanganate (NaMnO4) on the indigenous subsurface microbial community composition in groundwater impacted by trichloroethylene (TCE). Planktonic and biofilm microbial communities were studied using groundwater grab samples and reticulated vitreous carbon passive samplers, respectively. Microbial community composition was analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and a high-density phylogenetic microarray (PhyloChip). Significant reductions in microbial diversity and biomass were shown during NaMnO4 exposure, followed by recovery within several weeks after the oxidant concentrations decreased to <1 mg/L. Bray–Curtis similarities and nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed that microbial community composition before and after NaMnO4 was similar, when taking into account the natural variation of the microbial communities. Also, 16S rRNA genes of two reductive dechlorinators (Desulfuromonas spp. and Sulfurospirillum spp.) and diverse taxa capable of cometabolic TCE oxidation were detected in similar quantities by PhyloChip across all monitoring wells, irrespective of NaMnO4 exposure and TCE concentrations. However, minimal biodegradation of TCE was observed in this study, based on oxidized conditions, concentration patterns of chlorinated and nonchlorinated hydrocarbons, geochemistry, and spatiotemporal distribution of TCE-degrading bacteria.

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Acknowledgements

Microbiological field research and molecular analysis of field samples was performed by UCSB, and PhyloChip analysis was performed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, through a research contract with ENVIRON International Corporation. Part of the work at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy by the University of California, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, under Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231. Groundwater sampling with geochemical analysis was performed by ENVIRON International Corporation through a private contract. The authors acknowledge the help of Annie Corbett and Kevin Huniu for field sampling and laboratory analysis.

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Author notes

  1. Bram Sercu

    Present address: Watershed Protection District, County of Ventura, 800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA, 93006, USA

  2. Cindy H. Wu

    Present address: California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Laboratory Branch, Richmond, CA, 94804, USA

  3. Mauricio H. Escobar

    Present address: Roux Associates, Inc., Torrance, CA, 90505, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-4161, USA

    Bram Sercu & Patricia A. Holden

  2. Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-5131, USA

    Bram Sercu & Patricia A. Holden

  3. ENVIRON International Corporation, Irvine, CA, 92612, USA

    Antony D. G. Jones, Carol L. Serlin & Timothy A. Knapp

  4. Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Cindy H. Wu & Gary L. Andersen

  5. ENVIRON International Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, 90017, USA

    Mauricio H. Escobar

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  1. Bram Sercu
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Correspondence to Bram Sercu.

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Supplemental tables and figures are available, and a description of the optimization of DNA extraction methods for RVC samples (DOCX 619 kb)

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Sercu, B., Jones, A.D.G., Wu, C.H. et al. The Influence of In Situ Chemical Oxidation on Microbial Community Composition in Groundwater Contaminated with Chlorinated Solvents. Microb Ecol 65, 39–49 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-012-0092-0

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