Multiple lines of evidence to demonstrate vinyl chloride aerobic biodegradation in the vadose zone, and factors controlling rates

• Vinyl chloride (VC) aerobic biodegradation in the vadose zone was demonstrated.
• Data showed VC isotopic enrichment, CO2 isotopic depletion, VC degrading bacteria.
• CO2 concentrations and temperature were used to identify factors controlling VC biodegradation.
• Aerobic biodegradation of VC was regulated by the temperature of the vadose zone.

A field-based investigation was conducted at a contaminated site where the vadose zone was contaminated with a range of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The investigation consisted of groundwater and multilevel soil–gas monitoring of a range of contaminants and gases, along with isotope measurements and microbiology studies. The investigation provided multiple lines of evidence that demonstrated aerobic biodegradation of vinyl chloride (VC) was occurring in the vadose zone (i) above the on-site source zone, and (ii) above the downgradient off-site groundwater plume location.Data from both the on-site and off-site locations were consistent in showing substantially greater (an order of magnitude greater) rates of VC removal from the aerobic vadose zone compared to more recalcitrant contaminants trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE). Soil gas VC isotope analysis showed substantial isotopic enrichment of VC (δ13C − 5.2 to − 10.9‰) compared to groundwater (δ13C − 39.5‰) at the on-site location. Soil gas CO2 isotope analysis at both locations showed that CO2 was highly isotopically depleted (δ13C − 28.8 to − 33.3‰), compared to soil gas CO2 data originating from natural sediment organic matter (δ13C =  − 14.7 to − 21.3‰). The soil gas CO2 δ13C values were consistent with near-water table VC groundwater δ13C values (− 36.8 to − 39.5‰), suggesting CO2 originating from aerobic biodegradation of VC. Bacteria that had functional genes (ethene monooxygenase (etnC) and epoxyalkane transferase (etnE)) involved in ethene metabolism and VC oxidation were more abundant at the source zone where oxygen co-existed with VC.The distribution of VC and oxygen vadose zone vapour plumes, together with long-term changes in soil gas CO2 concentrations and temperature, provided information to elucidate the factors controlling aerobic biodegradation of VC in the vadose zone. Based on the overlapping VC and oxygen vadose zone vapour plumes, aerobic vapour biodegradation rates were independent of substrate (VC and/or oxygen) concentration. The high correlation (R = 0.962 to 0.975) between CO2 concentrations and temperature suggested that aerobic biodegradation of VC was controlled by bacterial activity that was regulated by the temperature within the vadose zone.When assessing a contaminated site for possible vapour intrusion into buildings, accounting for environmental conditions for aerobic biodegradation of VC in the vadose zone should improve the assessment of environmental risk of VC intrusion into buildings, enabling better identification and prioritisation of contaminated sites to be remediated.

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