Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Heterogeneity and Experimental Scale on the Biodegradation of Diesel

  • Published:
Biodegradation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination is a common method forremediating soils and groundwater. Due to complexities with field-scale studies,biodegradation rates are typically evaluated at the bench-scale in laboratory studies.However, important field conditions can be difficult to mimic in the laboratory. Thisstudy investigates three scaling factors that can impact laboratory biodegradation ratesand that are frequently unaccounted for in typical laboratory experimental procedures.These factors are soil heterogeneity, morphology of petroleum hydrocarbon non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) and soil moisture distribution. The effects of these factors on the biodegradation rate of diesel NAPL is tested under a variety of experimental procedures from well-mixed batch studies to four-foot static soil columns. The results indicate that a high degree of variability results from even small-scale heterogeneities. In addition, it appears that as the experimental scale increases, the measured biodegradation rates slow. The results indicate that diesel biodegradation rates derived from small-scale experiments are not necessarily representative of field-scale biodegradation rates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adrian N, Robinson JA & Suflita JM (1994) Spatial variability in biodegradation rates as evidenced by methane production from an aquifer. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60: 3632–3639

    Google Scholar 

  • Beloin RM, Sinclair JL & Ghiorse WC (1988) Distribution and activity of microorganisms in subsurface sediments of a pristine study site in Oklahoma. Microbial Ecol. 16: 85–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossert I & Bartha R (1984) The fate of petroleum in soil ecosystems. In: Atlas RM (Ed) Petroleum Microbiology (pp 435–473). MacMillan Publishing Company, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bregnard TP-A, Hohener P, Haner A & Zeyer J (1996) Degradation of weathered diesel fuel by microorganisms from a contaminated aquifer in aerobic and anaerobic microcosms. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 15: 299–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockman FJ & Murray CJ (1997) Subsurface microbiological heterogeneity: Current knowledge, descriptive approaches and applications. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 20: 231–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Bulman TL, Newland M & Wester A (1993) In-situ bioventing of a diesel fuel spill. Hydrol. Sci. 38: 297–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Cort T, Davis CA, Dai D, Illangasekare TH & Munakata-Marr J (2001) Intermediate-scale evaluation of bioremediation technologies in heterogeneous LNAPL-contaminated soil. Proc. Conf. Environ. Research, Hazardous Substance Research Center, Manhattan, KS, May 21–24

  • Davis GB, Johnston CD, Patterson BM, Barber C & Bennett M (1998) Estimation of biodegradation rates using respiration tests during in-situ bioremediation of weathered diesel NAPL. Ground Water Monit. Remediat. 18: 123–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Dineen D, Slater JP, Hicks P, Holland J & Clendening LD (1990) In-situ biological remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in unsaturated soils. In: Kostecki PT & Calabrese EJ (Eds) Petroleum Contaminated Soils (pp 177–187). Lewis Publishers, Inc. Boca Raton FL

    Google Scholar 

  • Downey DC, Guest PR & Ratz JW (1995) Results of a two-year in-situ bioventing demonstration. Environ. Progress. 14: 121–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupont RR (1993) Fundamentals of bioventing applied to fuel contaminated sites. Environ. Progress. 12: 45–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Environmental Protection Agency (1996a) SW-846, Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Wastes: Physical/Chemical Methods: Method 3550b Ultrasonic Extraction, Revision 2, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/pdfs/3550b.pdf (July 1, 2003)

  • Environmental Protection Agency (1996b) SW-846, Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Wastes: Physical/Chemical Methods: Method 8015b Nonhalogenated Organics using GC/FID, Revision 2, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/pdfs/ 8015b.pdf (July 1, 2003)

  • Goudar CT & Strevett KA (1998) Comparison of relative rates of BTEX biodegradation using respirometry. J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 21: 11–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Haack SK & Bekins BA (2000) Microbial populations in contaminant plumes. Hydrogeol. J. 8: 63–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey WJ (1995) In situ respirometry: Defining the limits. Environ. Sci. Technol. 30: 398A–401A

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickman GT & Novak JT (1989) Relationship between subsurface biodegradation rates and microbial density. Environ. Sci. Technol. 23: 525–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinchee RE & Ong SK (1992) A rapid in-situ respiration test for measuring aerobic biodegradation rates of hydrocarbons in soil. J. Air Waste Manag. Assoc. 42: 1305–1312

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogg DS, Burden RJ & Riddell PJ (1992) In-situ vadose zone bioremediation of soil contaminated with non-volatile hydrocarbons. Presented at HMCRI Conference, February 4, 1992, San Francisco, CA

  • Hoyle BL & Arthur EL (2000) Biotransformation of pesticides in saturated-zone materials. Hydrogeol. J. 8: 89–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Hupe K, Heerenklage J, Woyczechowske H, Bollow S & Stegmann R (1998) Influence of oxygen on the degradation of diesel fuel in soil bioreactors. Acta Biotechnologica 18: 109–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Kao C-M & Borden RC (1997) Site specific variability in BTEX biodegradation under denitrifying conditions. Groundwater 35: 305–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Kao C-M & Prosser J (1999) Influence of aquifer biogeochemical distribution on BTEX biodegradation under aerobic/anaerobic conditions. J. Chinese Institute Environ. Engin. 9:187–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Leeson A. & Hinchee RE (1997) Soil Bioventing: Principles and Practice. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  • Lotrario JB, Stuart BJ, Lam T, Arands RR, O'Connor OA & Kosson DS (1995) Effects of sterilization methods on the physical characteristics of soil: Implications for sorption isotherm analyses. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 54: 668–675

    Google Scholar 

  • Moller J, Winther B, Lund K, Kirkebjerg K & Westermann P (1996) Bioventing of diesel oil-contaminated soil: Comparison of degradation rates in soil based on actual oil concentration and on respirometric data. J. Indus. Microbiol. 16: 110–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris RD, Hinchee RE, Brown R, McCarty PL, Semprini L, Wilson JT, Kampbell DH, Reinhard M, Bouwer EJ, Borden RC, Vogel TM, Thomas JM & Ward CH (1994) Handbook of Bioremediation. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker EF & Burgos WD (1999) Degradation patterns of fresh and aged petroleum-contaminated soils. Environ. Eng. Science 16: 21–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkin TB, Starr JL & Meisinger JJ (1987) Influence of sample size on measurement of soil denitrification. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51: 1492–1501

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen D & Sayler GS (1981) Methanogenesis in freshwater sediments: inherent variability and effects on environmental contaminants. Can. J. Microbiol. 27: 198–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramaswami A & Luthy RG (1997) Mass transfer and bioavailability of PAH compounds in coal tar NAPL-slurry systems 1. Model Development. Environ. Sci. Technol. 31: 2260–2267

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers B & Logan BE (2000) Bacterial transport in NAPL-contaminated porous media. J. Environ. Engin. 126: 657–666

    Google Scholar 

  • Saba TA (1999) Upscaling of mass transfer from entrapped NAPLs under natural and enhanced conditions. Dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder

    Google Scholar 

  • Seagren EA, Rittmann BE & Valocchi AJ (1994) Quantitative evaluation of the enhancement of NAPL-pool dissolution by flushing and biodegradation. Environ. Sci. Technol. 28: 833–839

    Google Scholar 

  • Sepic E, Trier C & Leskovsek H (1996) Biodegradation studies of selected hydrocarbons from diesel oil. Analyst 121: 1451–1456

    Google Scholar 

  • Stout SA & Lundergard PD (1998) Intrinsic biodegradation of diesel fuel in an interval of separate phase hydrocarbons. Appl. Geochem. 13: 851–859

    Google Scholar 

  • Sturman PJ, Stewart PS, Cunningham AB, Bouwer EJ & Wolfram JH (1995) Engineering scale-up of in situ bioremediation processes: A review. J. Contam. Hydrol. 19: 171–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich GA, Martino D, Burger K, Routh J, Grossman EL, Ammerman JW & Suflita JM (1998) Sulfur cycling in the terrestrial subsurface: Commensal interactions, spatial scales, and microbial heterogeneity. Microbial Ecol. 36: 141–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Eyk J & Vreeken C (1989) Venting mediated removal of diesel oil from subsurface soil strata as a result of stimulated evaporation and enhanced biodegradation. In: Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Sites, Envirotech Vienna, Vol. 2, Session 3 (pp 475–485). Westarp Wiss., Essen

    Google Scholar 

  • Vroblesky D A & Chapelle FH (1994) Temporal and spatial changes of terminal electron-accepting processes in a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer and the significance for contaminant biodegradation. Wat. Resour. Res. 30: 1561–1570

    Google Scholar 

  • Wachinger G, Fiedler S, Zepp K, Gattinger A, Sommer M & Roth K (2000) Variability of soil methane production on the microscale: Spatial association with hot spots of organic material and archaeal populations. Soil Biol. Biochem. 32: 1121–1130

    Google Scholar 

  • Widrig DL & Manning JF (1995) Testing bioremediation in the field. In: In-Situ Bioremediation: When Does it Work? (pp 160–184). National Research Council; National Academy Press, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Palumbo AV, Phelps TJ, Beauchamp JJ, Brockman FJ, Murray CJ, Parsons BS & Swift DJP (1998) Grain size and depth constraints on microbial variability in coastal plain subsurface sediments. Geomicrobiol. 15: 171–185

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. URS Corporation, 9801 Westheimer, Suite 500, Houston, TX, 77042, USA

    Cynthia Davis

  2. Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Cynthia Davis, Todd Cort, Dongping Dai, Tissa H. Illangasekare & Junko Munakata-Marr

  3. Cameron-Cole, LLC, 5777 Central Avenue, Suite 100, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA

    Todd Cort

Authors
  1. Cynthia Davis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Todd Cort
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dongping Dai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tissa H. Illangasekare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Junko Munakata-Marr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Davis, C., Cort, T., Dai, D. et al. Effects of Heterogeneity and Experimental Scale on the Biodegradation of Diesel. Biodegradation 14, 373–384 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027376318530

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027376318530

Search

Navigation