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Measuring Diffusion of Trichlorethylene Breakdown Products in Polyvinylalginate 2018-10-29 library false false
bioremediation
polyoxometalate
hydrogel polymers
proton transport
chemical engineering
poster
Thomas A. Christensen II
Samuel R. Wolfe
Jonathan Counts
Mark F. Roll
Kristopher V. Waynant
James G. Moberly
AIChE Annual Meeting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
3rd Place Environmental III Division Undergraduate Poster Competition
/academia/pva-aiche/measuring_diffusion_of_trichloroethylene.pdf

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxic and carcinogenic contaminant, presents unique challenges for cleanup because of its water solubility, density, and volatility. Bioremediation of TCE is a promising cleanup method; however, metabolism of TCE results in acid generation that inhibits remediating microorganisms. Calcium alginate(CA)-polyvinylalcohol (PVA) hydrogels show promise for protecting remediating microbes, however diffusion of TCE or its byproducts through these polymers is unknown. To measure the effective diffusion coefficient of TCE and byproducts through hydrogel membranes, we used a modified diaphragm cell. Measured effective diffusion coefficient of each species was (cm {{< sup 2 >}}/s × 10{{< sup 6 >}}): 14.0 ± 1.91 for H{{< sup "+" >}} ions, 12.4 ± 1.64 for TCE, 7.83 ± 0.54 for cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), and 4.68 ± 4.14 for vinyl chloride. These results aid in engineering biobeads and suggest that CA-PVA hydrogel blends are effective in slowing diffusion of protons, buffering acids produced by trichloroethylene metabolism, and remains suitable for encapsulation of microorganisms involved in bioremediation.