Degradation of dissolved and sorbed 2,4-dichlorophenol in soil columns by suspended and sorbed bacteria

The influence of sorption of bacteria, as well as 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), on the mineralization of 100 microg l(-1) of the organic compound was examined in an aquifer material under advective flow conditions (column displacement technique). The study was designed to distinguish the rates and extent of biodegradation of the sorbed and the dissolved trace organic and the contribution of sorbed and suspended bacteria to the degradation. The degradation of dissolved 2,4-DCP was significantly faster than the degradation of the same compound sorbed to the solids, and suspended bacteria degraded the dissolved compound at a higher rate than sorbed bacteria, also on a per cell basis. The suspended bacteria degraded 8-12% of the added dissolved 2.4-DCP, while sorbed bacteria made a smaller contribution by degrading about 5% of sorbed 2,4-DCP. No degradation was seen with sorbed 2,4-DCP and suspended bacteria, and a marginal contribution was made by sorbed bacteria on the degradation of dissolved 2,4-DCP (<0.4%).