ABSTRACT
Groundwater contamination due to leaking underground gasoline storage tanks is increasing and represents a serious public health problem. The complete cleanup of these contaminants in subsurface systems is difficult and expensive. One possible method of cleanup or control of subsurface contaminants is through enhanced, on site biological degradation. Studies indicate that considerable potential exists for the technology, but many factors that influence the extent of degradation and the rate at which it occurs are unknown. The degradation of aqueous toluene in anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic conditions has been studied but little attention has been given to the fate of adsorbed toluene. The chapter determines microorganisms cultured in the laboratory using toluene as the sole carbon source were capable of enhancing the degradation of toluene present as a contaminant in soil. In particular, the effect of the acclimated organisms on the biodegradation of absorbed toluene in soils was studied.
