This is an award to provide support for research on the biological degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons that are of significance with respect to contamination of water. The specific compounds being investigated are 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride. Previous work has shown that these compounds can be degraded aerobically by methane and propane oxidizing bacteria but has neglected the competitive effects of the growth substrate and the chlorinated hydrocarbons on the rate of degradation. In this work, the effects of methane and propane levels on the degradation rate of the target compounds will be determined and the results applied to developments of model sequencing batch reactors for degradation of those compounds. A mathematical model that can be utilized in the engineering design of bioreactors for treatement of wastes containing chlorinated hydrocarbons is the expected result of this research. Successful completion of this research will provide information that is essential for design of high-rate, aerobic biological systems for destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbons of pollutional significance.
