Fate of acetone in an outdoor model stream in southern Mississippi, U.S.A.

The fate of acetone in water was investigated in an outdoor model stream located in southern Mississippi, U.S.A. Acetone was injected continuously for 32 days resulting in small milligram-perliter concentrations in the stream. Rhodamine-WT dye was injected at the beginning and at the end of the study to determine the time-of-travel and dispersion characteristics of the stream. A 12-h injection of t-butyl alcohol (TBA) was used to determine the volatilization characteristics of the stream. Volatilization controlled the acetone concentration in the stream. Significant bacterial degradation of acetone did not occur, contrary to expectations based on previous laboratory studies. Attempts to induce degradation of the acetone by injecting glucose and a nutrient solution containing bacteria acclimated to acetone were unsuccessful. Possible explanations for the lack of bacterial degradation included a nitrate limitation and a limited residence time in the stream system.