La. Newman et al., Remediation of trichloroethylene in an artificial aquifer with trees: A controlled field study, ENV SCI TEC, 33(13), 1999, pp. 2257-2265
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology,"Environmental Engineering & Energy
Poplar trees have been evaluated in the field for the control of contaminat
ed groundwater movement, but to date, the fate of the contaminants has not
been demonstrated. In the present study, we tested a hybrid poplar for the
uptake and degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE). Plants were exposed to T
CE-contaminated groundwater under field conditions in lined cells for three
years. During the growing seasons, the trees were able to remove over 99%
of the added TCE. Less than 9% of the TCE was transpired to the atmosphere
during the second and third years, and examination of the tissue showed exp
ected metabolites, but at low levels. Chloride did not significantly accumu
late in the plant tissues, but chloride ion increased in the soil in amount
s that approximately corresponded to TCE loss. These results demonstrate th
at treatment of TCE-contaminated groundwater with this poplar clone can res
ult in efficient destruction of TCE.