PARENT SESSION

1B+C Abiotic Transformations + Biodegradation
Poster Hall
8:30 AM - Monday, 28 April 2003
Chair: Peijnenburg, W.¹, ¹
Co-chair: Jafvert, C.T.², Gombar, V.K.³, ^{2 3}

(MOP/25) Biodegradation of PCB Aroclor 1248 in contaminated soils.

Di Marzio, Walter¹, Sáenz, María Elena¹, Vitale, Vanesa¹, ¹ Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina

ABSTRACT- Biodegradation of PCB Aroclor 1248 was evaluated. Anoxic - Aerobic biorectors were used in batch scenarios. Microorganisms from activated sludge plant were exposed to aqueous suspension of natural soils contaminated with 20 mg/kg of Aroclor 1248. Biodegradation was controlled by GC-MS, PCB final metabolite (Benzoic Ac.) was extracted by SPME polyacrilate coated fibers. Aroclor 1248 has the follow proportion of Chlorine (Cln) in the final PCB: 25 % n=3, 51 % n=4, 19 % n=5, 4 % n=6. We found a high degradation mainly for PCB with Cln = 4 or 5. For all congeners biodegradation was higher than 70 %. We have obtained a biodegradation rate of 0.57 mg/ Aroclor / gram of bacteria expressed as volatile solids per day.

Key words: Aroclor 1248, PCB, Biodegradation, Activated sludge