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U.S. EPA Contaminated Site Cleanup Information (CLU-IN)


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. EPA Technology Innovation and Field Services Division

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

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Literature References

Adobe PDF LogoApplication of Biofilm Covered Activated Carbon Particles as a Microbial Inoculum Delivery System for Enhanced Bioaugmentation of PCBs in Contaminated Sediment: Phase 1 Final Report
Kjellerup, B. and S. Edwards.
SERDP Project ER-2135, 89 pp, 2013

Anaerobically dechlorinating biofilms were added to sediment as (1) bacteria localized and concentrated onto activated carbon (AC) surfaces in active biofilm communities or (2) enriched wastewater sludge biofilms. Both forms of dechlorinating biofilm were applied to mesocosms consisting of PCB-contaminated sediment from Grasse River, New York. The dechlorinating bacteria remained in the sediment throughout the experiment and increased almost 2-fold in numbers. Dechlorination by the biofilm-covered AC particles with DF1 culture was less extensive compared to the enriched sludge biofilm, but application of either system enhanced the dechlorination of PCBs in sediment and thus made the congeners available for subsequent aerobic degradation and removal.

Spatial Distribution of PCB Dechlorinating Bacteria and Activities in Contaminated Soil
Kjellerup, B.V., P. Paul, U. Ghosh, H.D. May, and K.R. Sowers.
Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2012(584970):2012

In analysis of soil samples contaminated with Aroclor 1260, the detection of indigenous PCB dehalorespiring activity combined with the detection of putative dechlorinating bacteria and biphenyl dioxygenase genes in the soil aggregates suggests that the potential exists for complete mineralization of PCBs in soils; however, some soil samples inhibited PCB dechlorination even when inoculated with the PCB-dechlorinating bacterium Dehalobium chlorocoercia DF-1, indicating that the observed heterogeneity of in situ dechlorination might be related to the presence of metal or organic co-contaminants.

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Region 8: PCBs and Mining Sites

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