CHARACTERISTIC HYDROGEN CONCENTRATIONS FOR VARIOUS REDOX PROCESSES IN BATCH STUDY

Abstract

The dissolved hydrogen concentrations under various redox processes were investigated based on batch experiments. Chloroethenes including tetrachloroethene (PCE), cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and vinylchloride (VC) were respectively used as culture substrates. For each chloroethene, a series of bottles were prepared with the additions of different electron acceptors or donors such as nitrate, manganese oxide, ferrous iron, sulfate, carbondioxide and volatile fatty acids. Hydrogen concentrations as well as redox species were measured over time to ensure the achievements of characteristic hydrogen levels in various enrichment batches. The results showed that redox processes with nitrate, manganese oxide and ferric iron as the electron acceptors exhibited hydrogen threshold values close to PCE/TCE dechlorination, whereas cis-DCE and VC dechlorinations exhibited hydrogen threshold values in the range of sulfate reduction and methanogenesis, respectively. Characteristic hydrogen concentrations for various redox processes were as follows (nM): denitrification, 0.1–0.4; manganese reduction, 0.1–2.0; iron reduction, 0.1–0.4; sulfate reduction, 1.5–4.5; methanogenesis, 2.5–24; PCE/TCE dechlorination, 0.6–0.9; cis-DCE dechlorination, 0.1–2.5; andVC dechlorination, 2–24.

Keywords:

• Hydrogen concentration
• Redox processes
• Chloroethenes
• Bacteria
• Competition

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was financially supported by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science. The authors gratefully acknowledge A.A.G. Hafkamp, W.N.M. van Heiningen, A.R. Borger, J. Dickand P. Becker for their valuable discussions and technical helps in the laboratory. The authorsalso greatly acknowledge Prof. Richard Dawson for his critical review of this paper.