Denise M. Akob
Mary Jo Baedecker
Tracey Spencer
Jeanne B. Jaeschke
Darren S. Dunlap
Adam C. Mumford
Amisha T. Poret-Peterson
Douglas B. Chambers
Isabelle M. Cozzarelli
2017
<p><span>In January 2014, approximately 37 800 L of crude 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol (crude MCHM) spilled into the Elk River, West Virginia. To understand the long-term fate of 4-MCHM, we conducted experiments under environmentally relevant conditions to assess the potential for the 2 primary compounds in crude MCHM (1) to undergo biodegradation and (2) for sediments to serve as a long-term source of 4-MCHM. We developed a solid phase microextraction (SPME) method to quantify the </span><i>cis</i><span>- and<span> </span></span><i>trans</i><span>-isomers of 4-MCHM. Autoclaved Elk River sediment slurries sorbed 17.5% of<span> </span></span><i>cis</i><span>-4-MCHM and 31% of<span> </span></span><i>trans</i><span>-4-MCHM from water during the 2-week experiment. Sterilized, impacted, spill-site sediment released minor amounts of<span> </span></span><i>cis</i><span>- and up to 35 μg/L of<span> </span></span><i>trans</i><span>-4-MCHM into water, indicating 4-MCHM was present in sediment collected 10 months post spill. In anoxic microcosms, 300 μg/L<span> </span></span><i>cis</i><span>- and 150 μg/L<span> </span></span><i>trans</i><span>-4-MCHM degraded to nondetectable levels in 8–13 days in both impacted and background sediments. Under aerobic conditions, 4-MCHM isomers degraded to nondetectable levels within 4 days. Microbial communities at impacted sites differed in composition compared to background samples, but communities from both sites shifted in response to crude MCHM amendments. Our results indicate that 4-MCHM is readily biodegradable under environmentally relevant conditions.</span></p>
application/pdf
10.1021/acs.est.7b03142
en
ACS publications
Degradation of crude 4-MCHM (4-methylcyclohexanemethanol) in sediments from Elk River, West Virginia
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