Dynamics of PCB removal and detoxification in historically contaminated soils amended with activated carbon

Vasilyeva, Galina K.; Strijakova, Elena R.; Nikolaeva, Svetlana N.; Lebedev, Albert T.; Shea, Patrick J.

Dynamics of PCB removal and detoxification in historically contaminated soils amended with activated carbon

2010

Vasilyeva, Galina K. | Strijakova, Elena R. | Nikolaeva, Svetlana N. | Lebedev, Albert T. | Shea, Patrick J.

Activated carbon (AC) can help overcome toxicity of pollutants to microbes and facilitate soil bioremediation. We used this approach to treat a Histosol and an Alluvial soil historically contaminated with PCB (4190 and 1585 mg kg−1, respectively; primarily tri-, tetra- and pentachlorinated congeners). Results confirmed PCB persistence; reductions in PCB extractable from control and AC-amended soils were mostly due to a decrease in tri- and to some extent tetrachlorinated congeners as well as formation of a bound fraction. Mechanisms of PCB binding by soil and AC were different. In addition to microbial degradation of less chlorinated congeners, we postulate AC catalyzed dechlorination of higher chlorinated congeners. A large decrease in bioavailable PCB in AC-amended soils was demonstrated by greater clover germination and biomass. Phytotoxicity was low in treated soils but remained high in untreated soils for the duration of a 39-month experiment. These observations indicate the utility of AC for remediation of soils historically contaminated with PCB. Activated carbon promotes remediation of soils historically contaminated with PCB.

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