Inhibition of tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene on methanogenesis in anaerobic sludges from various origins

Nine anaerobic sludges were screened to obtain the most effective methanogenic inoculum for the anaerobic treatment of groundwater that is contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) or trichloroethene (TCE). The selection was based on the toxicity of PCE or TCE to acetoclastic methanogens in different sludges. The effects of two biological factors, sludge origin and specific acetoclastic methanogenic activity, and a physical factor, specific surface area of sludge, on the degree of inhibition were examined and compared. The fifty percent inhibition concentrations (IC 50 ) of PCE and TCE that were obtained from 30 °C batch inhibition tests ranged from 0.18 to 0.41 and 1.71 to 3.31 mM, respectively, for the examined sludges. The toxicity of the contaminants to anaerobic sludges did not depend on the two biological factors but was closely correlated with the specific surface area of sludge. Suspended sludges, which have higher specific surface areas than granular sludges, suffered much greater inhibition. This paper suggests the use of anaerobic granular sludges as inocula in bioreactors for treating PCE- and TCE-contaminated groundwater to reduce the effect of their inhibition.