Download or read book A Tri-Service Workshop on Bioavailability of Organic Contaminants in Soils and Sediments, Held in Monterey, California on 9-12 April 1995 written by and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bioavailability (the availability to biota) of organic contaminants is a critical issue for DOD installation restoration programs. Reduced availability of contaminants to biodegrading microbial populations frequently is a rate limiting problem in site cleanup of soils, groundwater, and freshwater and marine sediments. Contaminants may interact with soil and sediment particles to create complex residues which are protected from attack by microbial enzymes. Chemical solubility and sorption to surfaces of clay or colloidal organic matter may also alter the availability of contaminants to microorganisms. Mass transfer limitations (e.g., pore diffusion) may limit the rate of biodegradation and hence bioavailability. Slow leaching of contaminants from soils has been a problem in site which have been remediated. Furthermore, physical characteristics of the soil or sediment system may limit transport of bacteria with biodegradation capabilities to the contaminant sites within the porous media.