Biodegradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and associated hydraulic conductivity reduction in sand-bed columns

The aim of this research was to investigate the long-term hydraulic conductivity changes in sand-bed columns exposed to 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP). Continuous flow laboratory studies were conducted using sand-bed columns (15 cm i.d.; 200 cm length) at 20 ± 1 °C during 365 d. The influence of (i) initial loads of 2,4,6-TCP (15, 30, 45 and 60 mg kg−1 of 2,4,6-TCP), and (ii) recirculating water velocity (0.09, 0.56 and 1.18 cm min−1) on the biodegradation of 2,4,6-TCP and hydraulic conductivity changes in the sand-bed columns were investigated. The experimental results indicated that biodegradation of 2,4,6-TCP followed pseudo-first-order kinetics in the range of k1 = 0.01–1.64 d−1, and it was influenced by initial load (p < 0.01) and recirculating water velocity (p < 0.01). Indigenous microbial biomass growth and changes resulted in a spatial (180 cm) and temporal (365 d) reduction of hydraulic conductivity in the sand-bed columns by up to two orders of magnitude during biodegradation of 2,4,6-TCP. The fastest hydraulic conductivity reductions were observed in the sand-bed column operated at the highest recirculating water velocity and highest cumulative load of 2,4,6-TCP following 365 d of continuous treatment (p < 0.05).