The Effect of an Adsorbent Matrix on Recovery of Microorganisms from Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Groundwater

Abstract

The microbial degradation of recalcitrant hydrocarbons is an important process that can contribute to the remediation of oil and gas-contaminated environments. Due to the complex structure of subsurface terrestrial environments, it is important to identify the microbial communities that may be contributing to biodegradation processes, along with their abilities to metabolize different hydrocarbons in situ. In this study, a variety of adsorbent materials were assessed for their ability to trap both hydrocarbons and microorganisms in contaminated groundwater. Of the materials tested, a porous polymer resin (Tenax-TA) recovered the highest diversity of microbial taxa in preliminary experiments and was selected for additional (microcosm-based) testing. Oxic and anoxic experiments were prepared with groundwater collected from a contaminated aquifer to assess the ability of Tenax-TA to adsorb two environmental hydrocarbon contaminants of interest (toluene and benzene) while simultaneously providing a surface for microbial growth and hydrocarbon biodegradation. Microorganisms in oxic microcosms completely degraded both targets within 14 days of incubation, while anoxically-incubated microorganisms metabolized toluene but not benzene in less than 80 days. Community analysis of Tenax-TA-associated microorganisms revealed taxa highly enriched in sessile hydrocarbon-degrading treatments, including Saprospiraceae, Azoarcus, and Desulfoprunum, which may facilitate hydrocarbon degradation. This study showed that Tenax-TA can be used as a matrix to effectively trap both microorganisms and hydrocarbons in contaminated environmental systems for assessing and studying hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms of interest.

Evaluation of Changes in the Permeability Characteristics of a Geotextile–Polynorbornene Liner for the Prevention of Pollutant Diffusion in Oil-Contaminated Soils

“…Therefore, Yun et al [46] applied a mixture of calcium bentonite and a gelling agent as a liner and cover material and evaluated its permeability characteristics after it reacted with trichloroethylene (TCE)-a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) substance-in contaminated soil. Nguyen et al [47] (2021) evaluated adsorption materials containing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for the removal of oil, and Taylor et al [48] evaluated the performance of materials that can adsorb pollutants from hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater.…”

Simulation on the Permeability Evaluation of a Hybrid Liner for the Prevention of Contaminant Diffusion in Soils Contaminated with Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon

“…Representative oil-absorbing materials include fabric-based oil absorbents, which are nonwoven fabrics made of hydrophobic hydrocarbon-based fibers [ 23 , 24 ]. To prevent oil contaminant diffusion more efficiently, research is being conducted on oil-absorbing resins, based on polymeric materials capable of gelation [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Many studies have been conducted on the repair of structures, based on various materials with absorption and expansion properties [ 30 , 31 ].…”