Efficient algorithms for modeling the transport and biodegradation of chlorinated ethenes in groundwater

We present a model that accounts for (1) transport of chlorinated ethenes in flowing groundwater, (2) mass transfer of contaminants between mobile groundwater and stationary biofilms, and (3) diffusion and biodegradation within the biofilms. Equations for biodegradation kinetics account for biomass growth within the biofilms, the effect of hydrogen on dechlorination, and competitive inhibition between vinyl chloride and cis-dichloroethene. The overall model consists of coupled, non?linear, partial differential equations; we developed and tested two new numerical algorithms to solve the equations in the model and evaluated the conditions under which one of these algorithms is superior to the other. We believe that the mathematical model presented here is the first transport model that also accounts for diffusion and non?linear biodegradation of chlorinated ethenes in biofilms; we applied the model to compare the biodegradation behavior under diffusion?limited, metabolism?limited, and hydrogen?limited (donor?limited) conditions.

Efficient algorithms for modeling the transport and biodegradation of chlorinated ethenes in groundwater Conference Paper