Søren Dyreborg

Biodegradation of NSO-compounds under different redox-conditions

Abstract Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the potential of groundwater microorganisms to degrade selected heterocyclic aromatic compounds containing nitrogen, sulphur, or oxygen (NSO-compounds) under four redox-conditions over a period of 846 days. Eight compounds (pyrrole, 1-methylpyrrole, quinoline, indole, carbazole, dibenzothiophene, benzofuran, and dibenzofuran) were degraded under aerobic conditions, whereas thiophene and benzothiophene were degraded only when other compounds were degraded concomitantly. Quinoline and indole were the only two NSO-compounds degraded under anaerobic conditions, even though the microorganisms present in the anaerobic microcosms were active throughout the incubation period. A high variability in the lag period among the NSO-compounds was observed under aerobic conditions. While quinoline, indole, and carbazole were degraded with a lag period of 3–25 days, the lag periods for pyrrole, dibenzothiophene, benzofuran, and dibenzofuran were significantly longer (29–278 days). Under anaerobic conditions, lag periods of 100–300 days were observed. Differences in the degradation rate among the compounds were also observed. Indole, quinoline, carbazole, and benzofuran were quickly degraded in the aerobic microcosms, whereas a slow degradation of dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran was observed. Pyrrole and 1-methylpyrrole were slowly degraded and 1-methylpyrrole was not completely removed within the 846 days. The anaerobic degradation rate was significantly slower than the aerobic degradation rate. The degradation rate under sulphate-reducing conditions was higher than under denitrifying and methanogenic conditions, though after re-addition of a compound a quick removal was observed. The persistence of many NSO-compounds under anaerobic conditions together with the long lag periods and the low degradation rates under aerobic conditions suggest that NSO-compounds might persist in groundwater at creosote-contaminated sites.

Inhibition of Nitrification by Creosote-Contaminated Water

Abstract A leaching experiment was carried out in a saturated sand column contaminated with creosote. The toxicity of the leachate was determined by the inhibition of nitrification. Good correlations between the toxicity and the concentrations of five selected creosote compounds (benzene, toluene, o -xylene, phenol and o -cresol) in the leachate were observed. A statistical analysis showed that the two phenolic compounds were very toxic to nitrification. The pseudo-critical concentration ( S c ) was estimated for four of the five compounds. S c for benzene was 10.7 mg/l, 8.4 mg/l for o -xylene, 3.7 mg/l for phenol and 1.3 mg/l for o -cresol.

A mini-nitrification test for toxicity screening, minntox

There is a high demand for a rapid, simple, and inexpensive test for screening of the toxicity of wastewater, polluted groundwater and chemicals in order to protect sewage treatment plants and aquatic and terrestrial recipients. The mini-nitrification test, MINNTOX, presented here, fulfils this demand, and at the same time has significant ecological relevance.

Effects of creosote compounds on the aerobic bio-degradation of benzene

The inhibitory effect of creosote compounds on the aerobic degradation of benzene was studied in microcosm experiments. A total removal of benzene was observed after twelve days of incubation in microcosms where no inhibition was observed. Thiophene and benzothiophene, two heterocyclic aromatic compounds containing sulfur (S-compounds), had a significant inhibitory effect on the degradation of benzene, but also an inhibitory effect of benzofuran (an O-compound) and 1-methylpyrrole (a N-compound) could be observed, although the effect was weaker. The NSO-compounds also had an inhibitory effect on the degradation of p-xylene, o-xylene, and naphthalene, while they only had a weak influence on the degradation of 1-methylnaphthalene, o-cresol and 2,4-dimethylphenol. The phenolic compounds seemed to have a weak stimulating effect on the degradation of benzene whereas the monoaromatic hydrocarbons and the naphthalenes had no significant influence on the benzene degradation. The inhibitory effect of the NSO-compounds on the aerobic degradation of benzene could be identified as three different phenomena. The lag phase increased, the degradation rate decreased, and a residual concentration of benzene was observed in microcosms when NSO-compounds were present. The results show that NSO-compounds can have a potential inhibitory effect on the degradation of many creosote compounds, and that inhibitory effects in mixtures can be important for the degradation of different compounds.

The influence of creosote compounds on the aerobic degradation of toluene

The inhibiting effect of 14 typical creosote compounds on the aerobic degradation of toluene was studied in batch experiments. Four NSO-compounds (pyrrole, 1-methylpyrrole, thiophene, and benzofuran) strongly inhibited the degradation of toluene. When the NSO-compounds were present together with toluene, little or no degradation of toluene was observed during 16 days of incubation, compared with a total removal of toluene within 4 days when the four compounds were absent. Indole (an N-compound) and three phenolic compounds (phenol, o-cresol, and 2,4-dimethylphenol) also inhibited the degradation of toluene, though the effect was much weaker that of the four NSO-compounds. O-xylene, p-xylene, naphthalene and 1-methylnaphthalene seemed to stimulate the degradation even though the influence was very weak. No effects of benzothiophene (an S-compound) and quinoline (an N-compound) were observed. Benzofuran (an O-compound) was identified as the compound that most inhibited the degradation of toluene. An effect could be detected even at low concentrations (40 μg/l).

Creosote leaching from a contaminated saturated sand column

Abstract The leaching of six aromatic compounds from creosote contaminated sand was studied in a laboratory column experiment for a period of 36 days. The compounds studied were benzene, toluene, o‐xylene, phenol, o‐cresol and naphthalene. They accounted for 21.8% (wt/wt) of the creosote. Phenol and o‐cresol were totally leached from the creosote contaminated sand within the first 5 days. The maximum concentration observed in the column was 174 mg 1‐1 for phenol and 46 mg l‐1 for o‐cresol. Benzene was leached within 10 days (max. concentration 63 mg 1‐1). The concentration of these three compounds was lower than predicted from Raoults law, indicating that equilibrium between water and creosote was not reached. Toluene was leached after 36 days with a maximum concentration of 51 mg 1‐1. o‐xylene and naphthalene were not totally leached out when the experiment ended, and at that time the concentration was 40 mg 1‐1 for o‐xylene and 12.5 mg 1‐1 for naphthalene. The naphthalene concentration was expected fro...