Subsurface Mobility of Organo–Cr(III) Complexes Formed during Biological Reduction of Cr(VI)
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 2
Abstract
Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] contamination of soil and groundwater is a major concern for some industrial sites as well as many United States Department of Energy sites. Bioreduction of Cr(VI) to less toxic and less mobile Cr(III) has received much attention as a viable method of remediation. However, bioreduction of Cr(VI) also produces soluble organo–Cr(III) complexes and little is known about the fate of these complexes in the environment. Cr(VI) was reduced abiotically in the presence of cellular organic compounds (malate, cysteine, and serine) and biotically in the presence of two test organisms (Cellulomonas ES6 and S. oneidensis MR1). The soluble organo–Cr(III) complexes formed were then introduced to soil columns to evaluate their sorption affinity and transport characteristics. The column data indicated that a significant fraction of the biologically derived organo–Cr(III) complexes are both soluble and mobile. Other complexes were observed to have limited mobility, indicating that a heterogeneous mixture of complexes are formed during biological reduction of Cr(VI).
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Charles Knaack for his help with the ICP/MS analysis of Cr and also WSU’s Center for Multiphase Environmental Research for providing laboratory space and analytical support. This research was funded by the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) program, Biological and Environmental Research (BER), U.S. Department of Energy (Grant No. DOEDE-FG02-04ER63727).
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 2 • February 2008
Pages: 87 - 92
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 30, 2006
Accepted: Jul 13, 2007
Published online: Feb 1, 2008
Published in print: Feb 2008
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