Electron donor availability for microbial reductive processes following thermal treatment

► The results of this study demonstrate that limited microbial reductive dechlorination activity occurs above 35 °C. ► Soil heating decreases reductive dechlorination activity even after soil cooling. ► Thermal treatment increases electron donor bioavailability. ► Competing microbial processes consume the bulk of the liberated electron donors. ► Bioaugmentation inocula without methanogens are promising.