The potential for intrinsic attenuation of toluene under anaerobic conditions in the western part of the Gardermoen aquifer: Laboratory column experiments

Laboratory column experiments were applied to study intrinsic attenuation of toluene coupled to the reduction of Fe⁺³ as the terminal electron acceptor. The columns were operated an-aerobically at 8 °C. Chloride was used to characterize flow properties of the columns. Intrinsic at-tentuation was estimated by comparing break-through curves of toluene and ferrous iron for normal column and a sterilized control column. The estimated mean intrinsic attentuation rate was 0.51 mM/day and 0.27 mM/day as the biodegradation rate with respect to the zero-order rate law under steady state condition.