Photodegradation,Photocatalytic, and Aerobic Biodegradation of Sulfisomidine and Identification of Transformation Products by LC–UV‐MS/MS

Much attention has recently been devoted to the fate and effects of pharmaceuticals in the water cycle. Removal of antibiotics in effluents by photo‐treatment or biodegradation is a topic currently under discussion. Degradation and removal efficiencies of sulfisomidine (SUI) by photodegradation and aerobic biodegradability were studied. SUI behavior was monitored during photolysis and photocatalysis (catalyst titanium dioxide) using 150‐W medium‐pressure Hg lamp. Also an aerobic bacterial degradation test from the OECD series (closed bottle test (CBT, OECD 301 D)) was performed. The primary elimination of SUI was monitored. Structures of photo‐degradation products were assessed by chromatographic separation on a C18 column with ultraviolet detection at 270 nm and ion trap MS. The results demonstrate that SUI is not readily biodegradable in CBT. Photo catalysis was more is effective than photolysis. SUI underwent photodegradation and several SUI photoproducts were identified. Accordingly, the photodegradation pathway of SUI was postulated. When reaching the aquatic environment, SUI and its photo products can constitute a risk to the environment.     

Comparison of an Electrochemical and Luminescence‐Based Oxygen Measuring System for Use in the Biodegradability Testing According to Closed Bottle Test (OECD 301D)

The effects of persistent organic pollutants on the aquatic environment still can hardly be assessed. Therefore, ready biodegradability is a desired key characteristic of chemicals. Accordingly, biodegradation testing is of utmost importance and is a vital part within the risk assessment for organic chemicals. In the closed bottle test (CBT; OECD 301D) the degree of biological degradation of a chemical is assessed by monitoring the oxygen consumption so far with a Clark electrode as standard method. However, this method is time‐consuming, laborious and led to frequent fluctuations of the test results, which limited their validity. Due to these shortcomings, an optical system that enables contact‐free measuring of the oxygen concentration in a closed bottle, based on dynamic luminescence quenching, was examined. The test results were compared to those obtained with the “classical” electrochemical technique (Clark electrode). At first, a basic standard for the handling of the new instrument in the laboratory was developed. Then possible influencing factors, reliability, comparability, and reproducibility of the test results were investigated by running the CBTs in parallel with the electrode and optode method. The findings proved the new optode method to be unambiguously superior to the electrode technique. The frequency of fluctuations of the test results and time and effort necessary for the test run could considerably be reduced. The degradation kinetics of the test substances could be followed easily in the CBT by increasing the measuring points without much additional effort.     

Simultaneous Determination of 11 Sulfonamides by HPLC–UV and Application for Fast Screening of Their Aerobic Elimination and Biodegradation in a Simple Test

Sulfonamides (SAs) are one of the most frequently used antibiotics. SAs have been found in various environmental compartments. If SAs are not degraded in the environment, they can affect bacteria by their antibiotic properties and contribute to bacterial antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the biodegradability of 11 SAs (sulfanilamide, sulfaguanidine monohydrate, sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfachloropyridazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfadimethoxine) was studied. For this purpose, the Closed Bottle Test (CBT, OECD 301D) was performed, which includes a toxicity control. In order to monitor the environmental fate of the parent compound and to check for transformation products, a simple, efficient, and reliable HPLC–UV method for the simultaneous determination of these SAs has been developed. Acetonitrile and water (with 0.1% formic acid) were used as mobile phase solvents for gradient elution. The method was validated in terms of precision, detection and quantitation limits, selectivity, and analytical solution stability. In the CBT, none of these SAs was readily biodegradable. The HPLC–UV analysis confirmed that no degradation of any SA took place. In the toxicity control, these SAs showed no toxic effect in the used concentration of environmental bacteria applied in the test.     

Screening of surfactants for harmful algal blooms mitigation

Screening experiments were conducted in order to find promising synthetic surfactants for harmful algal blooms (HABs) mitigation. The chemically synthesized surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) showed characteristics of relatively high inhibition efficiency, high biodegradability and low cost. The motility inhibition ratios of 10 mg/L CAPB on Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Alexandrium tamarense were about 60% after 5 min. The biodegradation test indicated that the half-life of CAPB in seawater was shorter than one day and 90% was biodegraded after five days under the initial concentration of 100 mg/L at 25 degrees C. Further cell lysis experiments revealed the selective lysis effect of CAPB on different HAB organisms. More than 90% of C. polykrikoides lysed at the concentration of 10 mg/L CAPB after 24 h and at 15 mg/L CAPB after 4 h, whereas the lysis effect of CAPB on A. tamarense was slight, no more than 10% after 2 h interaction with 50 mg/L CAPB. This research provided preliminary data for CAPB as a candidate in harmful algal blooms mitigation and pointed out unresolved problems for its practical application in the meantime.     

Biodegradation of Nonylphenol Ethoxylate Surfactants in Biofilm Reactors

The primary degradation of a technical nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactant with an average chain length of 10 ethoxylate units (NPEO‐10) was studied in a flow‐through system by means of miniaturized biofilm reactors (mBFR) with bacteria from an activated sludge plant. 5 mg/L of the test compound (total EO concentration) were spiked in synthetic wastewater (SWW) and fed to the reactors continuously for 64 days. Compound removal and the formation of degradation products (DP) were monitored under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Solid‐phase extraction and RP‐HPLC with fluorescence detection were employed for sample preparation and analysis. Better removal of the parent compound was seen with the oxic reactors (50 to 70%) than with the anoxic reactors (30 to 50%). Compared to SWW organic matter, the test compound proved to be of refractory nature. The appearance of degradation products in the effluent was earlier with anoxic reactors despite their lower elimination efficiency. After extraction of biomass only minor amounts of NPEO‐10 and metabolites were found, indicating that small amounts were present in adsorbed or intracellular form. Ultimate biodegradation of NPEO‐10 and of octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEO‐9.5; average chain length of 9.5 EO units) was tested by means of manometric respirometry at a theoretical oxygen demand (ThOD) of 100 mg/L. Whereas NPEO‐10 was biodegraded by only 26%, at best, in 28 days, OPEO‐9.5 degradation amounted to (40 ± 5)%.     

Biodegradability of dispersed crude oil at two different temperatures

Laboratory experiments were initiated to study the biodegradability of oil after dispersants were applied. Two experiments were conducted, one at 20 degrees C and the other at 5 degrees C. In both experiments, only the dispersed oil fraction was investigated. Each experiment required treatment flasks containing 3.5% artificial seawater and crude oil previously dispersed by either Corexit 9500 or JD2000 at a dispersant-to-oil ratio of 1:25. Two different concentrations of dispersed oil were prepared, the dispersed oil then transferred to shake flasks, which were inoculated with a bacterial culture and shaken on a rotary shaker at 200 rpm for several weeks. Periodically, triplicate flasks were removed and sacrificed to determine the residual oil concentration remaining at that time. Oil compositional analysis was performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to quantify the biodegradability. Dispersed oil biodegraded rapidly at 20 degrees C and less rapidly at 5 degrees C, in line with the hypothesis that the ultimate fate of dispersed oil in the sea is rapid loss by biodegradation.     

Biodegradability of Photographic Developers and Ingredients of Photographic Developers,especially of Hydroquinone and Isoascorbic Acid

The biodegradability of 5 different commercially available common photographic developers and their ingredients hydroquinone, isoascorbic acid, and its sodium salt was determined in parallel using the OECD-screening-test (OECD 301E). The results obtained from the degradation test on hydroquinone were compared with the results of other laboratories. Biodegradability of developers containing isoascorbic acid was in the same range as of comparable products containing hydroquinone.     

The effects of biodegradation on the compositions of aromatic hydrocarbons and maturity indicators in biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin

By the aid of GC-MS technique, a series of sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin have been analyzed. The results show that the concentrations and relative compositions of various aromatic compounds in the biodegraded crude oils will change with increasing biodegradation degree. The concentrations of alkyl naphthalenes, alkyl phenanthrenes, alkyl dibenzothiophene are decreased, and the concentration of triaromatic steroids will increase with increasing biodegradation degree in biodegraded oils. Those phenomena indicate that various aromatic compounds are more easily biodegraded by bacteria like other kinds of hydrocarbons such as alkanes, but different series of aromatic compounds have a varied ability to resistant to biodegradation. The ratios of dibenzothiophene to phenenthrene (DBTH/P) and methyl dibenzothiophene to methyl phenanthrene (MDBTH/MP) are related to the features of depositional environment for source rocks such as redox and ancient salinity. However, in biodegraded oils, the two ratios increase quickly with the increase of the biodegradation degree, indicating that they have lost their geochemical significance. In this case, they could not be used to evaluate the features of depositional environment. Methyl phenanthrene index, methyl phenanthrene ratio and methyl dibenzoyhiophene ratio are useful aromatic maturity indicators for the crude oils and the source rocks without vitrinite. But for biodegraded oils, those aromatic maturity indicators will be affected by biodegradation and decrease with the increase of the biodegradation degree. Therefore, those aromatic molecular maturity indicators could not be used for biodegraded oils.     

Biodegradability and Toxicity of Anionic Surfactants

Alkyl sulphates of the general formula CH_{2n + 1}-O-SO₃Na and alkyl sulphonates of the general formula C_nH_{2n + 1}-SO₃Na, where n = 8, 10, 12, 14 in each series have been tested for biodegradability with the modified OECD screening test No. 301 E, and for toxicity with Daphnia magna and with Photobacterium phosphoreum (the Microtox^TM test). The results show that both alkyl sulphates and alkyl sulphonates are biodegraded with the alkyl sulphates degrading more rapidly under the test conditions. The alkyl sulphates also have higher toxicity to both test species and for both alkyl sulphates and sulphonates the toxicity increases linearly with increasing molecular weight of the surfactant.     

Crude-oil hydrocarbon composition characteristics and oil viscosity prediction in the northern Songliao Basin

Crude oil hydrocarbon composition characteristics and oil viscosity prediction are important bases in petroleum exploration.A total of 54 oil/heavy-oil samples and 17 oil sands were analyzed and quantified using both comprehensive 2D gas chromatography(GC×GC)and comprehensive 2D gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry(GC×GC/TOFMS).The results show that crude oil in the West slope is mainly heavy oil and its hydrocarbon composition is characterized overall by paraffinsmono-aromaticsnaphthenesnon-hydrocarbonsdi-aromaticstri-aromaticstetra-aromatics.Aromatics are most abundant and non-hydrocarbons are least abundant,whilst content differences among paraffins,naphthenes,aromatics,and non-hydrocarbons are less than 15%.There are two types of heavy oil,secondary type and mixing type.Biodegradation is the main formation mechanism of heavy oil.Biodegradation levels cover light biodegradation,moderate biodegradation,and severe biodegradation.With increasing biodegradation,paraffin content decreases while contents of aromatics and nonhydrocarbons increase.In contrast,naphthene content increases first and then decreases with increasing biodegradation.In severe biodegradation stage,naphthenes decrease more quickly than aromatics and non-hydrocarbons.This provides a new method for studying oil/heavy-oil biodegradation mechanism and biodegradation resistance of different hydrocarbons at different biodegradation stages.In the Longhupao-Daan terrace and Qijia-Gulong depression,most crude oil is conventional oil.Its composition is dominated by paraffins with the lowest content of aromatics.In some casual oil wells from the Longhupao-Daan terrace,crude oil from Saertu oil reservoirs is moderately biodegraded whereas crude oil from Putaohua oil reservoir is lightly biodegraded.Chemical parameters using saturate hydrocarbons and aromatics are usually not suitable for determining organic type and thermal maturity of biodegraded oil,especially of moderately or severely biodegraded oil,whilst Ts/(Ts+Tm)ratio can be used to determine thermal maturity of both conventional crude oil and heavy oil.     

Bioremediation of surface water co-contaminated with zinc (II) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates by Spirulina platensis

Potential remediation of surface water contaminated with linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and zinc (Zn (II)) by sorption on Spirulina platensis was studied using batch techniques. Results show that LAS can be biodegraded by Spirulina platensis, and its biodegradation rate after 5 days was 87%, 80%, and 70.5% when its initial concentration was 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/L, respectively. The maximum Zn (II) uptake capacity of Spirulina platensis was found to be 30.96 mg/g. LAS may enhance the maximum Zn (II) uptake capacity of Spirulina platensis, which can be attributed to an increase in bioavailability due to the presence of LAS. The biodegradation rates of LAS by Spirulina platensis increased with Zn (II) and reached the maximum when Zn (II) was 4 mg/L. The joint toxicity test showed that the combined effect of LAS and Zn (II) was Synergistic. LAS can enhance the biosorption of Zn (II), and reciprocally, Zn (II) can enhance LAS biodegradation.     

The effects of biodegradation on biomarker maturity indicators in sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin,China

By aid of gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the distributions and the compositions of biomarkers in a set of sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin, China, have been quantitatively analyzed, and it has been found that during the biodegradation process of crude oils, the molecular maturity parameters such as Ts/Tm, homohopane C₃₁ 22S/(22S+22R) and sterane C₂₉ 20S/(20S+20R) ratios will be affected to different extent. The results show that except homohopane C₃₁ 22S/(22S+22R) ratio, Ts/Tm ratio will decrease with increasing biodegradation, but for C₂₉ 20S/(20S+20R) ratio, it will almost remain constant in slightly and moderately biodegraded oils, and then will increase quickly in severely biodegraded oils. The main reason is that there are some differences in the ability of resistant biodegradation for different isomer of biomarkers with different stereo configuration, resulting in the fact that destroying rate by bacteria for those biomarkers with weak ability will be higher than those with strong ability in resistant biodegradation. For example, 18α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorhopanes (Ts) will be destroyed more quickly than 17α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorshopanres (Tm), and 20R isomer is more quickly than 20S isomer for C₂₉ sterane, resulting in the relative ratios changed with increasing biodegradation. Therefore, much more attention should be paid to the biodegradation extent of crude oils and the type of biomarker maturity indicators, when the distributions and the compositions of biomarkers in biodegraded oils are used to determine the maturity of biodegraded oils.     

Biologischer Abbau der Photolyseprodukte von FeIIIEDTA

Biodegradation of the Photolysis Products of Fe^IIIEDTA Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) is not biodegraded by activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant. This work shows that after photolysis of Fe^IIIEDTA, easily degradable metabolites are formed. The OECD Test 302 B yielded a 53% bioelimination with a sunlight irradiation time of 6.5 hours followed by a 4-week incubation. After 20 hours of sunlight irradiation, EDTA is bioeliminated to 92%. One of the photolytic degradation products, ethylenediaminediacetate (EDDA), has been quantitatively eliminated within 14 days following a lag-phase of 2 weeks. The photolysis of the iron complexes of the phosphonates ATMP and DTPMP did not result in biologically degradable metabolites. With these results, the environmental impact of EDTA can be re-evaluated emphasizing the amount and fate of Fe^IIIEDTA in the environment. Fe^IIIEDTA was found to be present in effluents of wastewater treatment plants at fractions from 20 to 90% of the total EDTA. Fe^IIIEDTA has a half life of about 2 hours in sunlit waters. Complexes of EDTA with other metals do not exchange with iron and are photostable. Therefore, EDTA behaves like 2 different compounds: – Fe^IIIEDTA undergoes fast photolysis with biodegradation of the metabolites. – The other metal-EDTA complexes are persistent in the environment. Ecological arguments against the use of EDTA are therefore still valid for all EDTA-complexes except the one of Fe(III). However, Fe(III) complexes with the phosphonates ATMP and DTPMP do not exhibit such favorable properties over other metal-complexes, and so all arguments against the use of phosphonates are still valid.     

The effects of biodegradation on the compositions of aromatic hydrocarbons and maturity indicators in biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin

By aid of gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the distributions and the compositions of biomarkers in a set of sequentially biodegraded oils from Liaohe Basin, China, have been quantitatively analyzed, and it has been found that during the biodegradation process of crude oils, the molecular maturity parameters such as Ts/Tm, homohopane C₃₁ 22S/(22S+22R) and sterane C₂₉ 20S/(20S+20R) ratios will be affected to different extent. The results show that except homohopane C₃₁ 22S/(22S+22R) ratio, Ts/Tm ratio will decrease with increasing biodegradation, but for C₂₉ 20S/(20S+20R) ratio, it will almost remain constant in slightly and moderately biodegraded oils, and then will increase quickly in severely biodegraded oils. The main reason is that there are some differences in the ability of resistant biodegradation for different isomer of biomarkers with different stereo configuration, resulting in the fact that destroying rate by bacteria for those biomarkers with weak ability will be higher than those with strong ability in resistant biodegradation. For example, 18α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorhopanes (Ts) will be destroyed more quickly than 17α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorshopanres (Tm), and 20R isomer is more quickly than 20S isomer for C₂₉ sterane, resulting in the relative ratios changed with increasing biodegradation. Therefore, much more attention should be paid to the biodegradation extent of crude oils and the type of biomarker maturity indicators, when the distributions and the compositions of biomarkers in biodegraded oils are used to determine the maturity of biodegraded oils.

     

Use of Chemotaxonomy To Study the Influence of Benzalkonium Chloride on Bacterial Populations in Biodegradation Testing

Contradictory results are reported for the behaviour of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in sewage treatment plants (STPs). QACs may sorb onto activated sludge. Only little information is available with respect to effects of QACs against bacteria in STPs. Only 5 to 15 % of bacteria present in sewage sludge can be detected by means of culture dependent microbiological methods. The shift of the bacterial populations due to effects of test compounds have not been studied up to now with culture independent methods. The microbial populations shift was studied in situ using culture independent chemotaxonomy profiling ubiquinones and polyamines. Additionally, toxic effects of QACs against bacteria present in the test vessels of the Zahn‐Wellens test (OECD 302 B) were assessed with a toxicity control in the test. The ubiquinone profiles representing changes in Gram‐negative populations mainly showed that the activated sludge was affected only in test vessels containing benzalkonium chloride. According to chemotaxonomy Acinetobacter or/and some members of Pseudomonas spp. have been selected by benzalkonium chloride after some adaptation period (8 to 12 days).     

Enhancement of In Situ Bioremediation of BTEX-Contaminated Ground Water by Oxygen Diffusion from Silicone Tubing

A field study of oxygen-enhanced biodegradation was carried out in a sandy iron-rich ground water system contaminated with gasoline hydrocarbons. Prior to the oxygen study, intrinsic microbial biodegradation in the contaminant plume had depleted dissolved oxygen and created anaerobic conditions. An oxygen diffusion system made of silicone polymer tubing was installed in an injection well within an oxygen delivery zone containing coarse highly permeable sand. During the study, this system delivered high dissolved oxygen (DO) levels (39 mg/L) to the ground water within a part of the plume. The ground water was sampled at a series of monitors in the test zone downgradient of the delivery well to determine the effect of oxygen on dissolved BTEX, ground water geochemistry, and microbially mediated biodegradation processes. The DO levels and Eh increased markedly at distances up to 2.3 m (7.5 feet) downgradient. Potential biofouling and iron precipitation effects did not clog the well screens or porous medium. The increased dissolved oxygen enhanced the population of aerobes while the activity of anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens decreased. Based on concentration changes, the estimated total rate of BTEX biodegradation rose from 872 mg/day before enhancement to 2530 mg/day after 60 days of oxygen delivery. Increased oxygen flux to the test area could account for aerobic biodegradation of 1835 mg/day of the BTEX. The estimated rates of anaerobic biodegradation processes decreased based on the flux of sulfate, iron (II), and methane. Two contaminants in the plume, benzene and ethylbenzene, are not biodegraded as readily as toluene or xylenes under anaerobic conditions. Following oxygen enhancement, however, the benzene and ethylbenzene concentrations decreased about 98%, as did toluene and total xylenes.     

Sources and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter in two headwater peatland catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest,northern Minnesota,USA

Where they are present in catchments, peatlands are a dominant source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to surrounding waterways due, in part, to high production rates. Despite the preponderance of peatlands in northern latitudes and expected peatland vulnerability to climate change, little is known about peatland DOM degradation relative to a more comprehensive understanding of degradation when DOM is sourced from upland-dominated catchments. We compared DOM biodegradability of various sources of stream water in two catchments having peatlands (22%–33% of the area) surrounded by upland forests (70%–90% of the area, either deciduous or coniferous). We measured total organic carbon (TOC), and biodegradable dissolved organic carbon concentrations; bacterial respiration rates; streamflow; and upland runoff during and after snowmelt (March to June, 2009–2011). We also explored if DOM in upland runoff stimulated biodegradation of peatland-derived DOM (i.e., a priming effect), and if forest cover type affected DOM biodegradability. As expected, the peatlands were the largest sources of both water (72%–80%) and TOC (92%–96%) to the streams although more area in each catchment was in uplands (70%–90%). Several results were unexpected, yet revealing: (1) DOM from peatlands sometimes had the same biodegradability as DOM from uplands, (2) upland sources of DOM had negligible effects on biodegradability in the peatland and downstream, and (3) upland deciduous cover did not yield more degradable DOM than conifer cover. The most pronounced effect of upland runoff was dilution of downstream TOC concentrations when there was upland runoff. Overall, the effects of upland DOM may have been negligible due to the overriding effect of the large amount of biodegradable DOM that originated in bogs. This research highlights that peatland-sourced DOM has important effects on downstream DOM biodegradability even in catchments where upland area is substantially larger than peatland area.     

陕西华清4#泉气体总量异常成因分析

2006年7月下旬—9月初,陕西华清4#泉气体总量测值出现了一次低值异常。经调查落实,此次异常不是构造活动或地震前兆异常,而是由采样扩散瓶刻度指示体积与实际体积不符引起的。9月6日的扩散瓶封存气体刻度指示体积与实际体积误差试验以及9月9日—13日的气体总量对比观测试验均证实了这一结论。     

Oil refinery wastewater treatment using coupled electrocoagulation and fixed film biological processes

Oil refinery wastewater was treated using a coupled treatment process including electrocoagulation (EC) and a fixed film aerobic bioreactor. Different variables were tested to identify the best conditions using this procedure. After EC, the effluent was treated in an aerobic biofilter. EC was capable to remove over 88% of the overall chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the wastewater under the best working conditions (6.5 V, 0.1 M NaCl, 4 electrodes without initial pH adjustment) with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal slightly higher than 80%. Aluminum release from the electrodes to the wastewater was found an important factor for the EC efficiency and closely related with several operational factors. Application of EC allowed to increase the biodegradability of the sample from 0.015, rated as non-biodegradable, up to 0.5 widely considered as biodegradable. The effluent was further treated using an aerobic biofilter inoculated with a bacterial consortium including gram positive and gram negative strains and tested for COD and TPH removal from the EC treated effluent during 30 days. Cell count showed the typical bacteria growth starting at day three and increasing up to a maximum after eight days. After day eight, cell growth showed a plateau which agreed with the highest decrease on contaminant concentration. Final TPHs concentration was found about 600 mgL⁻¹ after 30 days whereas COD concentration after biological treatment was as low as 933 mgL⁻¹. The coupled EC-aerobic biofilter was capable to remove up to 98% of the total TPH amount and over 95% of the COD load in the oil refinery wastewater.     

Bacterial Production Stimulated Across the Zone of Influence of a Ground Water Circulation Well in a BTEX-Contaminated Aquifer

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) hydrocarbons are typically the most abundant carbon source for bacteria in gasoline-contaminated ground water. In situ bioremediation strategies often involve stimulating bacterial heterotrophic production in an attempt to increase carbon demand of the assemblage. This may, in turn, stimulate biodegradation of contaminant hydrocarbons. In this study, ground water circulation wells (GCWs) were used as an in situ treatment for a fuel-contaminated aquifer to stimulate bacterial production, purportedly by increasing oxygen transfer to the subsurface, circulating limiting nutrients, enhancing bioavailability of hydrocarbons, or by removing metabolically inhibitory volatile organics. Bacterial production, as measured by rates of bacterial protein synthesis, was stimulated across the zone of influence (ZOI) of a series of GCWs. Productivity increased from ∼10² to >10⁵ ng C/L hour across the ZOI, suggesting that treatment stimulated overall biodegradation of carbon sources present in the ground water. However, even if BTEX carbon met all bacterial carbon demand, biodegradation would account for <4.3% of the total estimated BTEX removed from the ground water. Although bacterial productivity measurements alone cannot prove the effectiveness of in situ bioremediation, they can estimate the maximum amount of contaminant that may be biodegraded by a treatment system.