Bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes contaminated groundwater and the reactive transport modeling – A review

Improper disposal of chlorinated ethenes (CEs), a class of widely used solvents in chemical manufacturing and cleaning industries, often leads to severe groundwater contamination. In situ bioremediation of CE-contaminated groundwater has received continuous attention in recent years. The reactive transport simulation is a valuable tool for planning and designing in situ bioremediation systems. This paper presents a detailed and comprehensive review on the main biotransformation pathways of CEs in aquifers, the mathematical modeling of bioremediation processes, and the available software developed for the simulation of reactive transport of CEs over past three decades. The aim of this research is to provide guidance on the selection of appropriate models and software suitable for systems of varying scales, and to discern prevailing research trends while identifying areas worthy of further study. This paper provides a detailed summary of the equations, parameters, and applications of existing biotransformation models from literature studies, highlighting the operation, benefits, and limitations of software available for CEs reactive transport simulations. Lastly, the support of reactive transport simulation programs for the design of full-scale in situ bioremediation systems was elucidated. Further research is needed for incorporating the effects of key subsurface environmental factors on biodegradation processes into models and balancing model complexity with computer data processing power to better support the development and application of reactive transport modeling software.