Together with experts in metagenome analyses from China, the functional biodiversity of chloroethene degradation under oxidising conditions is investigated. Optimised groundwater remediation concepts and innovative monitoring methods are developed.
Chloroethenes are the most common group of groundwater pollutants worldwide. Treatment with cost-intensive technical processes leads to severe impairment of the microbiome in groundwater and soil, as does purely anaerobic microbiological treatment, which can produce toxic by-products. In addition to the aerobic metabolic degradation of cis-dichloroethene (cDCE), the aerobic metabolic degradation of trichloroethene (TCE) was also demonstrated for the first time at the TZW and complete mineralisation was achieved. Compared to co-metabolic aerobic degradation, the metabolic degradation of chloroethenes utilises the available oxygen with a factor 100 higher efficiency, as no auxiliary substrates are required. As part of the project, the microbiological biodiversity and the potential for aerobic metabolic microbial degradation will be determined using innovative molecular biological methods. Bioaugmentation will be studied to introduce specialized microorganisms into the contaminated groundwater in order to accelerate the degradation of pollutants. In order to utilise this innovative potential, monitoring methods and specific procedures for stimulation and bioaugmentation must be developed. This initially means a detailed microbiological and molecular biological examination of the effect of new technologies and injection methods on the corresponding microorganisms in laboratory tests and a later transfer to field conditions. In cooperation with experts from Chinese universities, metagenomic analysis and mechanistic process studies will be performed. Innovative biotechnological solutions are developed through aerobic and sequential anaerobic/aerobic treatment, which are required to stimulate functional biodiversity for the bio-based remediation of water contaminated with chloroethenes.
