Methods to Assess the Fate and Impacts of Biofuels in Aquifer Systems

Soil and groundwater contamination from accidental or incidental releases of biofuel blends is a growing concern in many countries. Improved understanding of how different biofuel releases behave in the environment and affect the fate and transport of priority pollutants in aquifers is critical for long-term management strategies. Different experimental approaches have been used to advance our understandings of the fate and impacts of biofuel releases in aquifer systems, to develop improved monitoring and remediation approaches, and to validate mathematical fate and transport models. This chapter summarizes currently used experimental approaches, including bench-scale batch tests, laboratory scale column, pilot-scale aquifer tank, and field-scale controlled releases. Physical-chemical analyses commonly used to monitor fate of biofuels and petroleum-based contaminants in groundwater and molecular biomarkers used to quantify catabolic genes associated with the biodegradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) were also summarized in this chapter.
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Source Type: news