Propane‐Induced biodegradation of vapor phase trichoroethylene

Microbial degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) has been demonstrated under aerobic conditions with propane. The primary objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a vapor phase form of TCE in the presence of propane to batch bioreactors containing a liquid phase suspension of Mycobacterium vaccae JOB5 to accomplish degradation. The reactor system consisted of three phases: a vapor phase introducing air, propane, and TCE; a liquid phase of the microbial suspension; and a solid phase in the form of the microorganisms. Long‐term and initial rate experiments were conducted on three culture sets to evaluate microbial response. In two long‐term test fed propane and approximately 0.1 mg/L and 1 mg/L of TCE, respectively, propane utilization was more efficient at the high TCE concentration (600 mmol propane/mmol TCE versus 11,900 mmol propane/mmol TCE), because the propane degradation rate was approximately the same for both tests (6.73 mg/L · h and 7.85 mg/L · h for the high and low tests). In addition, TCE utilization decreased after complete propane consumption. Initial rate tests on culture sets fed propane only revealed that cells with a history of exposure to a high concentration of TCE had the highest specific growth rate, but the lowest half‐saturation constant (7.60e −3 h −1 and 0.10 mg/L, respectively). Tests fed variable TCE concentrations (0.031 to 5.378 mg/L in the liquid phase) with no propane showed TCE depletion but no biomass growth. The tests revealed that the TCE removal increased as the TCE concentration increased, indicating a greater removal efficiency at the higher concentrations. Tests with a constant initial propane concentration and variable liquid phase TCE concentration revealed that specific propane utilization was essentially the same. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.