Enrichment of a high rate tetrachloroethene dechlorinating culture: Role of electron donor

A high rate tetrachloroethene (PCE) dechlorinating culture was enriched under methanogenic conditions that was able to dechlorinate 86 mg/L PCE to cis-1,2-DCE and vinyl chloride within 15 hours. In subsequent studies, the influence of electron donor on the ability to sustain PCE dechlorination was investigated in upflow columns inoculated with either the PCE enrichment culture or a (1:1) mixture of the enrichment culture and soil from contaminated field sites. One column from each inoculum subset was fed 34 milliequivalents of lactate, methanol, or hydrogen as electron donor and 5 mg/L PCE every four days. PCE was dechlorinated to primarily vinyl chloride in all six columns. Rates of PCE dechlorination were found to be similar with regard to inoculum, and did not vary extensively between electron donors. High hydrogen partial pressures were not found to be inhibitory to dechlorination