Natural attenuation processes during in situ capping.

Chlorinated solvents are common groundwater contaminants that threaten surface water quality and benthic health when present in groundwater seeps. Aquatic sediments can act as natural biobarriers to detoxify chlorinated solvent plumes via reductive dechlorination. In situ sediment capping, a remedial technique in which clean material is placed at the sediment-water interface, may alter sedimentary natural attenuation processes. This research explores the potential of Anacostia River sediment to naturally attenuate chlorinated solvents under simulated capping conditions. Results of microcosm studies demonstrated that intrinsic dechlorination of dissolved-phase PCE to ethene was possible, with electron donor availability controlling microbial activity. A diverse microbial community was present in the sediment, including multiple Dehalococcoides strains indicated by the amplification of the reductive dehalogenases tceA, vcrA, and bvcA. An upflow column simulating a capped sediment bed subject to PCE-contaminated groundwater seepage lost dechlorination activity with time and only achieved complete dechlorination when microorganisms present in the sediment were provided electron donor. Increases in effluent chloroethene concentrations during the period of biostimulation were attributed to biologically enhanced desorption and the formation of less sorptive dechlorination products. These findings suggest that in situ caps should be designed to account for reductions in natural biobarrier reactivity and for the potential breakthrough of groundwater contaminants.