Anke Schaefer

• PhD
• PR Professional at Swiss Centre For Applied Ecotoxicology

Two-dimensional (2-D) stable isotope analysis can be used to assess and quantify degradation of MTBE in the field. Compound-specific isotope analysis, a recently developed technique in environmental geochemistry, identifies biodegradation by the shift in the stable isotope ratio of elements, e.g., carbon and hydrogen. Analyzing a complex field site...

Microbial degradation rates in the subsurface are not only limited by the physiological capacity of the organisms, but also by inefficient supply of nutrients to the microbes. Although mass transfer limitation of biodegradation in the subsurface has been postulated for years, experimental evidence is still scarce. In the column experiments describe...

A new approach for groundwater treatment combines a permeable Fe(0) barrier to break down higher chlorinated solvents like PCE and TCE with a downgradient aerobic biological treatment system to biotransform less chlorinated solvents, such as DCE and vinyl chloride (VC), and petroleum hydrocarbons. The expected bacterial performance downgradient of...

Accumulation at the air−water interface of four bacterial strains with different hydrophobicities was studied. To exclude system influences, both a static batch system and a dynamic system involving rising bubbles were used. All bacteria accumulated at the air−water interface in both systems. Generally, attachment to the air−water interface increas...

Bacterial mobility in unsaturated soils plays an important role in bioremediation, biofacilitated transport of pollutants, and dispersal of pathogenic microorganisms. A sand column equipped with ports for measuring water pressure and water saturation has been used to study bacterial transport under well-defined unsaturated flow conditions. Bacteria...

Two Rhodococcus strains, R. opacus strain AS2 and R. erythropolis strain AS3, that were able to use 4-nitroanisole as the sole source of carbon and energy, were isolated from environmental samples. The first step of the degradation involved the O-demethylation of 4-nitroanisole to 4-nitrophenol which accumulated transiently in the medium during gro...

Termites play a major role in the recycling of photosynthetically fixed carbon. With the aid of their symbiotic intestinal flora, they are able to degrade extensively wood constituents such as cellulose and hemicellulose. Nevertheless, the microbial species involved in the degradation of hemicelluloses are poorly defined. The purpose of this paper...

Diss. no. 12416 nat. sc. SFIT Zurich. Literaturverz.