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Effects of surfactants on the biodegradation of toluene in soil

The objective of this investigation was to observe and evaluate the effects of surfactants on the biodegradation of toluene in the subsurface. Soil microcosms containing gasoline were used to simulate conditions of an aquifer contaminated with hydrocarbons. The surfactants were the nonionics, Surfonic N-40 and N-95. Three volumes of gasoline, 0.005, 0.05, and 0.1 mL, were injected into separate microcosms in order to observe changes in toluene concentration in both adsorbed component conditions and free-phase, interstitial gasoline conditions. The data presented are the results from the microcosms containing 0.005 mL gasoline. -Dissolved toluene was only partially biodegraded in the microcosms containing free-phase hydrocarbons. The lack of complete biodegradation was believed to be due to substrate toxicity. / Master of Science

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43100
Date10 June 2012
CreatorsMoore, Jeffrey W.
ContributorsEnvironmental Engineering, Novak, John T., Dietrich, Andrea M., Hoehn, Robert C.
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, Text
Formatvii, 82 leaves, BTD, application/pdf, application/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
RelationOCLC# 20770453, LD5655.V855_1989.M663.pdf

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