Effect of contaminant concentration on in situ bacterial sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in phenol-contaminated groundwater

The availability of dissolved O2 can limit biodegradation of organic compounds in aquifers. Where O2 is depleted, biodegradation proceeds via anaerobic processes, including NO3-, Mn(IV)-, Fe(III)- and SO4-reduction and fermentation/methanogenesis. The environmental controls on these anaerobic processes must be understood to support implementation of management strategies such as monitored natural attenuation (MNA). In this study stable isotope analysis is used to show that the relative significance of two key anaerobic biodegradation processes (bacterial SO4 reduction (BSR) and methanogenesis) in a phenol-contaminated sandstone aquifer is sensitive to spatial and temporal changes in total dissolved phenols concentration (TPC) (= phenol + cresols + dimethylphenols) over a 5-a period. In general, 34SO4-enrichment (characteristic of bacterial SO4 reduction) is restricted spatially to locations where TPC < 2000 mg L−1. In contrast, 13C-depleted CH4 and 13C-enriched CO2 isotope compositions (characteristic of methanogenesis) were measured at TPC up to 8000 mg L−1. This is consistent with previous studies that demonstrate suppression of BSR at TPC of >500 mg L−1, and suggests that methanogenic microorganisms may have a higher tolerance for TPC in this contaminant plume. It is concluded that isotopic enrichment trends can be used to identify conditions under which in situ biodegradation may be limited by the properties of the biodegradation substrate (in this case TPC). Such data may be used to deduce the performance of MNA for contaminated groundwater in similar settings.

► Study investigated the inhibiting effect of phenols on biogeochemical processes.
► Bacterial sulfate reduction is inhibited when phenols concentration is >2 g L−1.
► Methanogenesis occurs at much higher phenols concentration in comparison to BSR.
► Toxic inhibition may be a significant limitation on in situ bioremediation.