Technical Bulletin No. 0599: A Review of the Literature on Sub-Surface Biological Processes Which Affect the Fate of Chemicals in Groundwater

Subsurface biological degradation is among the important factors that affect the transport of some chemicals in groundwater. A variety of mathematical algorithms and degradation rate data are available for modeling the effects of biological degradation on the transport of chemicals of interest to the forest products industry. This technical bulletin contains information on (a) the factors influencing subsurface biological activity, (b) options for modeling that activity, (c) methods for generating degradation rate data, and (d) existing degradation rate data for several chemicals of interest to this industry including chloroform, phenol, chlorinated phenols and methanol.