A pore-scale evaluation of bacterial mediated transformation of toxic Cr (VI) to Cr (III) by using real-time electrical capacitance method

C J, Sangeetha and T, Shashidhar (2017) A pore-scale evaluation of bacterial mediated transformation of toxic Cr (VI) to Cr (III) by using real-time electrical capacitance method. In: 9th International Conference on Porous Media & Annual Meeting, 8 - 11 May 2017, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

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Abstract

Bacteria-contaminant interactions in subsurface environment are deemed to have greater significance in remediation of heavy metal-contaminated aquifers. For a successful bioremediation, an approximate prediction on the bacterial interaction at pore-level must be known. Although there have been enormous laboratory studies focused on biotransformation of toxic contaminant Cr (VI) [1], much remains to be dealt with the pore-scale understanding of fate and transport of tolerant bacteria in the presence of the hexavalent chromium. The bacterial fate and transport in porous media involves the complex framework of biological processes such as growth pattern by adhesion, detachment, and chemotactic response during the presence of contaminant Cr (VI), which are governed by many environmental factors including nature of the geological strata, its heterogeneity and bioavailability of contaminant to the bacterial species [2] & [3]. Considering the major role of bacterial–contaminant interaction in real time subsurface environment, the present research attempts to show the pore-scale understanding of the bacterial mediated transformation of toxic Cr (VI) to Cr (III) by using Real Time Electrical Capacitance Method. A prior investigation on bacterial mediated reduction of Cr (VI) was conducted by using the isolates from chromium contaminated soil site. This procedure involves the isolation and identification of the species that actively take part in biotransformation. Column transport experiments were performed by allowing the tolerant bacterial species to react with toxic Cr (VI) under varying conditions; to record the real time changes in growth pattern along with their sorption characteristics by continuously measuring the electrical impedance. The Electrical Capacitance Method employed in this research work proves to be a promising non-intrusive real time approach to provide qualitative and quantitative three-dimensional image based information on bacterial fate and transport during the biotransformation of Cr (VI) to Cr (III). The consideration of real time bacterial behavior in the present study will provide a framework of pore-level modeling of Cr (VI) fate and transport, as a part of biogeochemical reactions in subsurface environment. Furthermore, it is expected that this real time monitoring technique can also provide insights into the various phase interactions of multi-phase flow system in depicting the complex transport phenomena in subsurface environment [4].

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