Development of an attached-growth process for the bioremediation of trichloroethylene- and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane-contaminated groundwater

A procedure for the design of a packed bed reactor (PBR) process for the on-site aerobic cometabolic bioremediation of a groundwater contaminated by trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA) was developed. The comparison of the CAH degradation performances obtained with five substrates led to the selection of butane and to the development from the site’s indigenous biomass of a consortium capable to degrade TCE, with a 90% mineralization of the organic Cl. A porous ceramic carrier (Biomax) resulted the best option for the PBR process. On the basis of the kinetic analysis, a 31-L PBR, consisting of 14 columns connected in series, was designed.