1. Degradation of Chlorinated Ethenes in Mesocosms Simulating a Constructed Wetland, at WPAFB, Ohio
- Author
-
Mukherjee, Dibyendu
- Subjects
- Geochemistry, ¿¿¿¿M, reactors, PCE, TCE, methane, WETLAND, ports
- Abstract
The main purpose of this research was to study the degradation of chlorinated ethenes in upwardflowingmesocosms, simulating a constructed wetland at Wright Patterson Air Force Base(WPAFB) in Dayton, Ohio. This research was intended to compare biogeochemical processesand PCE degradation occurring in the mesocosms and in the field site. This research also tries tolook at the effects of vegetation and season on the degradation efficiency of the mesocosms.Twelve PVC column reactors were built within the greenhouse of Wright State University inSeptember 2005 to simulate the hydraulic conditions of a constructed wetland at WPAFB. Thecolumns were filled with wetland soils. Three kinds of wetland plants, Scirpus atrovirens (greenbulrush), Carex comosa (longhaired sedge) and Eleocharis erythropoda (spike rush) wereplanted in nine of the reactors and three were left unplanted (control).Water samples were collected from the reactors for a period of one year and analyzed in thelaboratory using a gas chromatography system (HP 6890 GC) to detect the concentration ofchlorinated ethenes and methane. Degradation of PCE along with formation of the daughterproducts TCE, DCE, VC and Ethene were detected in the reactors. Both anaerobic and aerobicdegradation processes were taking place within the reactors. Strong seasonal trends seen in theplanted reactors were not so evident in the control reactors.
- Published
- 2008