Anaerobic microbial dechlorination: an approach to on-site treatment of toxaphene-contaminated soil.
Enhanced microbial degradation of toxaphene by natural microorganisms occurred in soil and sediment amended with organic matter kept under anaerobic (flooded) conditions. Laboratory experiments yielded a dissipation half-life of approximately 3 and 1 week for soil and sediment, respectively, containing 10 ppm of technical toxaphene and a 1% alfalfa meal amendment. Dissipation was accompanied by an increase in early eluting gas chromatographic peaks and a decrease in later eluting peaks, indicating that dechlorination had occurred. Enhanced anaerobic dissipation also took place in soil containing 500 ppm of toxaphene, although at a lesser rate than at 10 ppm, and when cotton gin waste was used as amendment in place of alfalfa meal. Sediment in a toxaphene-contaminated pesticide waste disposal ditch was amended with 10% steer manure and flooded to ascertain field utility of the technique for on-site decontamination. Toxaphene residues were reduced from 63 to 23 ppm in 120 days, and some degradation activity still occurred up to 8 months after this single treatment.
Mirsatari
S G
SG
Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis 95616.
McChesney
M M
MM
Craigmill
A C
AC
Winterlin
W L
WL
Seiber
J N
JN
D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014112:Toxaphene / Q000032:analysis*
D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014112:Toxaphene