MORE | Spring 2025

Cometabolic Degradation of Chlorinated Solvents in Cultures Grown on Propane and Methanol

Large, dilute plumes of chlorinated solvents in groundwater are challenging to remediate, driving the advancement of innovative and sustainable treatments like aerobic cometabolism. Well-established gaseous growth substrates like propane often have difficulties with field-scale implementation due to their high volatility, low solubility, and impurities. A liquid substrate such as methanol could help address these concerns. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the degradation of 1,1-dichloroethylene while comparing propane and methanol as growth substrates. Conditions with methanol as the growth substrate produced comparable and slightly higher degradation rates than propane, encouraging its potential as a safe and practical alternative.