Use of Vegetation to Enhance Degradation of Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol: Prevention of Runoff and Movement to Surface Waters

摘要

There is a growing concern about the quantity of aircraft deicing agents (primarily ethylene glycol (EG) or propylene glycol (PG)) that migrate offsite and inadvertently contaminate the soil and water environments. However it is known that vegetation can enhance the removal of man-made organic compounds and pollutants in soil environments by plant uptake and microbial degradation in the rhizosphere. Therefore, three objectives of this research were to: (1) determine the influence of rhizosphere microorganisms on the degradation of ethylene glycol (EG) and propylene glycol (PG); (2) identify environmental variables affecting the degradation of EG and PG in soil; and (3) determine the influence of vegetation on EG and PG movement in soil. Results from these studies found that degradation of EG and PG was enhanced in rhizosphere soils compared with nonvegetated soils. Also, increased soil temperatures enhanced the mineralization of EG and PG, and aquatic emergent plants significantly enhanced mineralization of EG and PG in surface water systems. Lastly. results from this study indicate vegetation reduced the quantity of PG and EG that moved through the soil profile.