Electrokinetic bioremediation of trichloroethylene and Cr/As co-contaminated soils with elevated sulfate.

Co-contaminants and complex subsurface conditions pose great challenges to site remediation. This study demonstrates the potential of electrokinetic bioremediation (EK-BIO) in treating co-contaminants of chlorinated solvents and heavy metals in low-permeability soils with elevated sulfate. EK-BIO columns were filled with field soils, and were fed by the electrolyte containing 20 mg/L trichloroethylene (TCE), 250 μM Cr(VI), 25 μM As(III), 10 mM lactate, and 10 mM sulfate. A dechlorinating consortium containing Dehalococcoides (Dhc) was injected several times during a 199-d treatment at ∼1 V/cm. Sulfate reduction, Cr/As immobilization, and complete TCE biodechlorination were observed sequentially. EK-BIO facilitated the delivery of lactate, Cr(VI)/As(III), and sulfate to the soils, creating favorable reductive conditions for contaminant removal. Supplementary batch experiments and metagenomic/transcriptomic analysis suggested that sulfate promoted the reductive immobilization of Cr(VI) by generating sulfide species, which subsequently enhanced TCE biodechlorination by alleviating Cr(VI) toxicity. The dechlorinating community displayed a high As(III) tolerance. Metagenomic binning analysis revealed the dechlorinating activity of Dhc and the potential synergistic effects from other bacteria in mitigating heavy metal toxicity. This study justified the feasibility of EK-BIO for co-contaminant treatment and provided mechanistic insights into EK-BIO treatment.