FURI | Spring 2025

Investigating the Impact of Product Inhibition, Substrate Ratios, and Temperature on Microbial Chain Elongation to Support In Situ Dechlorination

Chlorinated solvents pose a risk to human health and ecosystems due to toxicity and persistence. Current bioremediation techniques face challenges of stalled dechlorination, often due to electron donor limitation. This study aims to optimize microbial chain elongation for bioremediation of chlorinated solvents, focusing on defining kinetic parameters of chain elongating cultures, and exploring the relationship between chain elongating microbes and effective dechlorinating microbiomes. By optimizing substrate ratios and temperature to maximize hydrogen production while minimizing product inhibition, the rate and extent of dechlorination is improved. Enhancing bioremediation techniques provides a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to cleaning up contaminated sites.