Monitoring Bioremediation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Using FourierTransform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectrometry

摘要

Bioremediation has repeatedly been demonstrated to be an innovative and effectivetechnology for a wide variety of chemically contaminated environments. Although, once predominantly used in wastewater treatment, bioremediation technology is now being applied to soils, ground and surface water, and sludges. The contaminates include chemicals such as crude oil, petroleum hydrocarbons, fuels, and solvents. Regardless of the type of contaminant, the success of any bioremediation approach includes these essential elements; site characterization, initial bioassessment testing, detailed laboratory testing, hydrologic modeling, installation and start-up, process monitoring and operation, final sampling and closure, reporting and management. A major expense in bioremediation can be associated with monitoring the degradation of contaminates. This cost may be reduced by applying readily available, simple analytical methods and instrumentation to the monitoring of the bioremediation process. Our research involves the monitoring of the bioremediation of ground water contaminated by low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by adapted alfalfa plants and their associated rhizosphere bacteria.