The impact of ethanol blend releases to the aesthetic quality of groundwater and the indigenous microbial community
A pilot-scale aquifer system was used to evaluate groundwater quality impacts from a continuous release of an aqueous 10% v:v ethanol solution mixed with benzene and toluene (50 mg/L each). The geochemical footprints (methane, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), dis...
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| Format: | Others |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1911/64448 |
| Summary: | A pilot-scale aquifer system was used to evaluate groundwater quality impacts
from a continuous release of an aqueous 10% v:v ethanol solution mixed with benzene
and toluene (50 mg/L each). The geochemical footprints (methane, volatile fatty acids
(VFAs), pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO) and
temperature) were monitored over 11 months. The accumulation ofVFAs (particularly
butyric acid) during the summer exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level
value for odor, which represents a previously unreported aesthetic impact. Temperature
variations (3.9 to 30.0 °C) significantly affected microbial activities, and a strong
correlation was observed between groundwater temperature and CH4/VFAs generation
(p < 0.05). Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that ethanol blend
increased the microbial population and enriched the fermentative groups for
acetogenesis and methanogenesis. |
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