Methane As A Product Of Chloroethene Biodegradation Under Methanogenic Conditions

Paul M. Bradley and Francis H. Chapelle

ABSTRACT

Radiometric detection headspace analyses of microcosms containing bed sediments from two geographically distinct sites indicated that 10-39% of the radiolabeled carbon transformed during anaerobic biodegradation of [1,2^-14C] trichloroethene (TCE) or [1,2^-14C] vinyl chloride (VC) under methanogenic conditions was ultimately incorporated into ¹⁴CH₄. The results demonstrate that, in addition to ethene, ethane and CO₂, CH₄ can be a significant product of chloroethene biodegradation in some methanogenic sediments.