IRB

Bioreactor for the decontamination of groundwater

Proponent:

Name of project :

Biobarrier prototype for the decontamination of PCE-contaminated groundwater.

Summary description of project:

PCE is a highly chlorinated organic compound used mainly for its fat-solvent qualities in the textile, mechanical production and electronics industries. It is a volatile liquid that is much denser than water and slightly soluble in water. As such, it tends to infiltrate the soil and reach the bottom of groundwater. Unfortunately, it is a carcinogenic contaminant.

The project intends to colonize a substrate with microorganisms and maintain conditions that allow the cohabitation of anaerobic and aerobic species. The first species allows breaking down tetrachloroethylene into dichloroethylene while the second reduces trichloroethylene into vinyl chloride and then into chlorine and harmless ethylene.

The experimental design consists of a 7m³ closed-box-type caisson, a biocassette containing the substrate and embedded in sand, and a stainless steel container placed vertically in a funnel shape and used to direct PCE-contaminated water towards the biocassette via a funnel and gate system. The different experimental parameters are recorded in real time and the system functions continuously once in operation.

The pilot-scale results obtained confirm that this original approach is very promising. By working with typical contamination levels of about 2 mg/l, passing through the bioreactor has allowed destroying over 99.5% of the PCE and its breakdown products, which is below the 0.03 mg/l limit for potable water.

Technical partners:

Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI)

Funding partners:

Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI)
Montreal Centre of Excellence in Brownfields Rehabilitation (MCEBR)