title: Lab-scale tests and numerical simulations for in situ treatment of polluted groundwater.
abstract: Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is used at significant percentages as an additive of unleaded gasoline. The physical-chemical properties of the substance (water solubility, soil organic carbon-water partition coefficient) cause high mobility and high concentrations in groundwater. Laboratory scale batch and column tests and mathematical modeling were performed to study the feasibility of a biobarrier (BB), that is an in situ permeable biological barrier with or without inoculation, for the remediation of MTBE and other gasoline-derived pollutants (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene and m+p-xylenes, BTEXs) polluted groundwater and to estimate kinetic constants. The experimental results showed simultaneous biodegradation of MTBE and BTEXs, with similar removals in the uninoculated and the inoculated systems. Ranges for the first order kinetic removal were obtained for MTBE ((0.18±0.02)/(0.28±0.11d(-1))), B ((0.39±0.12)/(0.56±0.12d(-1))), T ((0.51±0.03)/(0.78±0.15d(-1))), E ((0.46±0.18)/(1.57±0.21d(-1))), o-X ((0.24±0.08)/(0.64±0.09d(-1))) and m+p-X ((0.20±0.04)/(1.21±0.04d(-1))). The results of the laboratory tests allowed to improve mathematical modeling in order to design a full-scale BB at a gasoline-contaminated site.
authors: Politecnico di Milano, DICA Sez. Ambientale, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Careghini
authors: Politecnico di Milano, DICA Sez. Ambientale, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: sabrina.saponaro@polimi.it.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Saponaro
authors: Politecnico di Milano, DICA Sez. Ambientale, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Sezenna
authors: Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Daghio
authors: Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Franzetti
authors: Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Gandolfi
authors: Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Bestetti
mesh_terms: D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D020562:Betaproteobacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods; D005742:Gasoline; D060587:Groundwater; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000378:metabolism*; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D005742:Gasoline; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C043243:methyl tert-butyl ether
keywords: Biobarrier; Gasoline; Groundwater; In situ treatment; MTBE