42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Measuring Diffusion of Trichlorethylene Breakdown Products in Polyvinylalginate"
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date: 2018-10-29
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cardImage: library
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draft: false
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featured: false
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keywords:
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- bioremediation
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- polyoxometalate
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- hydrogel polymers
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- proton transport
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- chemical engineering
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type: poster
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authors:
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- Thomas A. Christensen II
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- Samuel R. Wolfe
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- Jonathan Counts
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- Mark F. Roll
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- Kristopher V. Waynant
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- James G. Moberly
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journal: "AIChE Annual Meeting"
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location: "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania"
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awards:
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- "3rd Place Environmental III Division Undergraduate Poster Competition"
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link: /academia/pva-aiche/measuring_diffusion_of_trichloroethylene.pdf
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---
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Trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxic and carcinogenic contaminant, presents unique
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challenges for cleanup because of its water solubility, density, and volatility.
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Bioremediation of TCE is a promising cleanup method; however, metabolism of TCE
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results in acid generation that inhibits remediating microorganisms. Calcium
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alginate(CA)-polyvinylalcohol (PVA) hydrogels show promise for protecting
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remediating microbes, however diffusion of TCE or its byproducts through these
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polymers is unknown. To measure the effective diffusion coefficient of TCE and
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byproducts through hydrogel membranes, we used a modified diaphragm cell.
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Measured effective diffusion coefficient of each species was (cm {{< sup 2 >}}/s
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× 10{{< sup 6 >}}): 14.0 ± 1.91 for H{{< sup "+" >}} ions, 12.4 ± 1.64 for TCE,
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7.83 ± 0.54 for cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), and 4.68 ± 4.14 for vinyl
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chloride. These results aid in engineering biobeads and suggest that CA-PVA
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hydrogel blends are effective in slowing diffusion of protons, buffering acids
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produced by trichloroethylene metabolism, and remains suitable for encapsulation
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of microorganisms involved in bioremediation.
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