ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF SULFOLANE IN SOIL ENVIRONMENT

Kim, Chang Cyun; Clarke, William Paul; Lockington, David

Environmental Engineering Research 1999;4(3): 185-193.

Chang Cyun Kim¹^†, William Paul Clarke², and David Lockington³

¹Water Protection Research Team, RIST, P.O.BOX 135. Kyungpook 790-330, Korea
²Department of Civil Hngineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia
³Department of Chemical Hngineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia

Corresponding Author: Chang Cyun Kim ,

Received: June 9, 1999; Accepted: August 10, 1999.

ABSTRACT

Batch degradation studies were conducted with soil inoculum, collected from the contaminated site, spiked with aqueous sulfolane and stirred under anaerobic conditions. The results of the study show that sullblune was degraded tip to 64% alter 6X d of incubation time for initial concentration of 6 6 mmol I 1 in the absence of nutrients. Ileadspace analyses indicate that approximate!) 1 mmol I carbon for the sulfolane (26 mmol I ' carbon) fully degrades to CH₄ CO as the ultimate products. The rest of the degraded sullblune presents as unidentified intermediate aqueous products. Sulfur balance indicates that approximately 94% of sulfur still remained in the reactor while hydrogen sulfur was observed at 2.5 mg I'' in the head-space.

Keywords: bioreniediation | soil contamination | sullolane