Co-entrapment of Iron Nanoparticles and Trichloroethylene Degrading Bacteria in Alginate Biopolymer for Groundwater Remediation

The focus of this research is on co-entrapment of microorganisms and NZVI to remediate contaminated groundwater. The combined effect of microorganisms and NZVI will increase the degradation efficiency and allow nearly complete degradation of target contaminants. The contaminant chosen to work on is trichloroethylene (TCE), a halogenated aliphatic organic compound and a universal degreasing agent. TCE is a Class A carcinogen and one of the most commonly detected volatile organic chemical in ground water. Bioremediation of TCE is one of the most attractive methods to remove TCE from the environment. The method of bioremediation has been used at an anaerobic aquifer at St. Joseph, Michigan, a TCE contaminated site on the National Priority List (NPL). The study of co-entrapment of NZVI and microorganisms is expected to yield critical conclusions for improving dechlorination reactions. An effective 2-stage remediation process will be engineered with the expectation that the contamination degradation efficiency will increase, reducing the contaminant to its very benign forms. The proposed new method has the potential to satisfy section 121 of CERCLA.