Bacterial communities from chlorinated solvents contaminated groundwater and from biostimulation treatments in microcosm
The research topic concerns the bioremediation of groundwater contaminated by chlorinated solvents. The aim of the work was to evaluate the intrinsic bioremediation potential of an aquifer contaminated by chlorinated solvents (mainly 1,2-DCA). Groundwater samples collected from eight monitoring wells within the contaminated aquifer and one from the upstream uncontaminated area were used to study the spatial and temporal variation of the autochthonous microbial communities. Different aerobic and anaerobic biostimulation treatments in microcosm were tested to gain insights about the feasibility of a 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) bioremediation approach, by using groundwater as inoculum and appropriate culture media and biostimulating agents. Chemical and biological monitoring of microcosms revealed the enrichment of known dechlorinating taxa under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The 16S rRNA reads of groundwater bacterial communities and microcosms enriched communities are deposited within this project.