Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Prior to the manufacturing ban in the early 1970s, PCBs were used extensively for their fire retardant properties in transformers and other industrial processes.  In the case of PCBs, we are working on (1) statistical analysis of source PCBs and environmental samples to determine the level and type of transformation observed in the field, (2) thermodynamic analysis of the potential for PCB remediation under field conditions at field concentrations, (3) development of a predictive model for pathways in PCB biodegradation, (4) evaluation of the nature of PCB degrading organisms in two river sediments utilizing molecular techniques, and (5) evaluation of the response of microbial populations of PCB degrading organisms to environmental changes in two different sediments.

Karcher, S., VanBriesen, J.M., and Small, M.J, (2007) "Numerical Method to Elucidate Likely Target Positions of Chlorine Removal in Anaerobic Sediments undergoing Polychlorinated biphenyl dechlorination," accepted and to appear ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering.

Wang, C., Araujo, J., McGillen, J., VanBriesen, J.M., Minkley, E., Jr., Brown, W., Analysis of Three Potential PCB Dechlorinator Communities in Two Contaminated River Sediments, Abstracts of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Microbiology, Atlanta, GA, June 2005.  Abstract as PDF.  Poster as PDF.

Karcher, S., Small, M.J., and VanBriesen, J.M., “Statistical method to evaluate the occurrence of transformations in river sediments,” (2004) Environmental Science and Technology 38: 6760-6766. On-Line with supporting information.

VanBriesen, J.M., Blough, M., Brown, W., and Minkley, E., “Critical oxygen concentrations for biodegradation of PCBs,” American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Fall 2004.  Extended abstract published by the Environmental Division.  Abstract as PDF.  Extended Abstract as PDF.  Poster as PDF.

Wang, C., VanBriesen, J.M., Brown, W.E., Minkley, E.G., Jr., “Microbial communities in two river sediments demonstrate distinct anaerobic PCB dechlorination patterns,” American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Fall 2004.  Extended abstract published by the Environmental Division. Abstract as PDF.   Extended Abstract as PDF.

Karcher, S.C., Small, M.J., VanBriesen, J.M., “Statistical method to evaluate the occurrence of PCB transformations in river sediments,” American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Fall 2004.  Extended abstract published by the Environmental Division.  Extended Abstract as PDF.  Certificate of Merit for outstanding material content and manner of presentation by ACS Division of Environmental Chemistry.

Wang, C., Minkley, E., Jr., VanBriesen, J.M., Blough, M., Brown, W., “Characterization of the anaerobic dechlorinating microorganisms in two PCB contaminated river sediments,” Abstracts of the 104^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Microbiology, New Orleans, LA, May 2004.  Poster as PDF.  Abstract as PDF.

Karcher*, S.C., Small, M.J., and VanBriesen, J.M. "Statistical method to evaluate the occurrence of PCB transformations in river sediments," presented at Technology Benchmarking Workshop for Sediment and Floodplain Remediation held at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Michigan, March 25-26, 2004. Poster as PDF.