ABSTRACT
Trichloroethylene (TCE) has been found to be highly potentially carcinogenic and extremely toxic. Due to the low solubility of methane gas, it is difficult to handle this primary substrate for methanotrophs during operation. Hence, using higher solubility of ammonia/ammonium instead of methane as primary substrate for nitrifying bacteria to cometabolize TCE by ammonia monooxygenase might increase the operation efficiencies in in-situ bioremediation of TCE. This study uses an enriched nitrifying culture to investigate the degradation efficiencies of TCE and its effects of inhibition to ammonia-oxidizing activity in cometabolism of TCE. Nitrificational oxygen uptake rate was analyzed by using the Gilson Model 5/6H Oxygraph respirometer. Nitrifying biomass was tested as mixed liquor volatile suspended solids and measured by using the Standard Methods. Both of the high initially applied TCE concentrations and low DO levels maintained in the batch system might cause less ammonia oxidation by nitrifying bacteria.
