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Improving Long-Term Bioremediation Results with Nutrients

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Adding Nutrients Increases Long-Term Population and Bioremediation Results

The goal of bioaugmentation is to improve the rate of contaminant removal by adding a high population of beneficial microbes to the contaminated media.  The additional microbes  should provide short-term benefit as the microbes begin metabolizing the contaminants immediately upon injection. But what benefit does bioaugmentation provide in the long term? And how much benefit does bioaugmentation provide over biostimulation by adding nutrients to the native organisms?

A client of CL Solutions completed a bench-scale study to answer these questions.  A bench-scale study was preferred to a field study because it removes the potential distribution and time-lag issues associated with the distances between injection and monitoring locations in the field.

Samples of petroleum-contaminated soils were obtained and separated into split samples for treatment with microbes and nutrients. Some were untreated for comparison.  Samples were tested for petroleum concentrations, including C-fraction concentrations after 30, 40 and 60 days.  Heterotrophic populations were measured at 40 and 60 days.

The tests showed the following results in the early stages:

  • All of the treated samples showed more than 80% total petroleum reduction in the first 30 days.
  • The sample treated with nutrients only had the same level of petroleum removal as the bioaugmented samples in the first 30 days.
  • The heterotrophic population of the biostimulated sample was as high as in the bioaugmented samples at 40 days.

After 30 days the situation changed.

  • The bioaugmented microbial population continued to increase  after 40 days and may have increased by a factor of 100 times.  Meanwhile, the biostimulated population appeared to stall.
  • The petroleum removal continued in the bioaugmented samples and reached as high as 93% removal.  In comparison the biostimulated sample stalled at 82% removal.
  • The difference appears to be that the bioaugmented samples removed the C-21 to C-35 concentrations at a much higher rate than the biostimulated sample.
  • Phenanthrene was target chemical for bioremediation. The biostimulated sample showed 39% removal while the bioaugmented samples showed complete removal to BDL.

Overall, the superior performance of the bioaugmented samples appears to be related to having a greater metabolic range that removed the heavier hydrocarbon fractions.  Microbes with the extended metabolic range could continue to multiply as they grew on the heavy hydrocarbon fraction.  The results are consistent with field results showing the recalcitrance of heavier hydrocarbon fractions and compounds like naphthalene and phenanthrene under natural attenuation.

Contact CL Solutions for more information and insights.

 

 

 

 

 

CL-Out Pilot Study Vandenberg AFB

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Successful Aerobic Cometablism

A pilot study of the applicability of CL-Out aerobic cometabolism of PCE and other chlorinated solvents was completed at Vandenberg Air Force Base.  The pilot study consisted of injection in a single well and groundwater sampling at four surrounding wells to monitor the progress of bioremediation.  During the pilot study, samples were analyzed for the contaminants and breakdown products, microbial population, and dissolved oxygen.

After three months, sampling showed the following contaminant removal near the injection well:

PCE reduced from 44 to 2.6 ug/L.

TCE reduced from 330 to 57.3 ug/L.

Cis 1,2-DCE reduced from 30.7 to 6.2 ug/L.

Vinyl chloride was not detected before or after treatment.

The ground water stayed aerobic during the 90 day pilot study.  The CL-Out population reached a maximum of 9 million cells per milliliters 14 days after injection.  The  CL-Out population was maintained above background populations for at least 60 days and reached as far as 50 feet down gradient.

For more information about the pilot study results, contact CL Solutions.

In Situ CL-Out Bioremediation of Industrial Solvents

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Case Study :

Industrial Manufacturing Site, Illinois

Remediation Summary

Leaks from an aboveground solvent tank impacted soil and ground water quality at a manufacturing site in Illinois.  The impact was found under the adjoining building as well as the area near the tank.  The soil and ground water were treated in situ with CL-Out® bioremediation microbes.  Through cometabolism CL-Out® microbes reduced the contaminant concentrations to acceptable levels in less than one year.

Contaminants Soil Results (mg/Kg) Ground Water Results (mg/L)
Pre-Treatment Post- Treatment Pre-Treatment Post- Treatment
PCE 41.8 1.69 5.59 0.006
TCE 4,670 632 15.6 0.026
Cis 1,2-DCE 171 56.6 7.43 0.029
Vinyl Chloride BDL BDL 0.095 0.013

Implementation and Results

Soil Type:  Silty clay till

Treatment Area:  15,000 sq. ft.

Unsaturated soil thickness:  16 ft.

Saturated aquifer thickness:  5 ft.

Treatment: Two applications, initial treatment with 13 units of CL-Out® and follow up treatment with 5 units.

Product Cost: $30,000

Conclusions

CL-Out® bioremediation quickly and cost-effectively reduced the contaminant concentrations to acceptable levels.  Through cometabolism the parent and daughter products were removed simultaneously.  CL-Out® bioaugmentation accelerated the site remediation and reduced uncertainty by applying the right microbes where they were needed.

Soil Bioremediation at Dry Cleaners

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Permanently remove vapor intrusion risk

Soil bioremediation is a more effective strategy for managing the vapor intrusion risk at dry cleaners where solvents have contaminated soil or shallow ground water.  Soil bioremediation quickly eliminates the problem, while long-term vapor mitigation ties up resources in on-going operation, maintenance and monitoring costs.  Soil bioremediation eliminates the source of  vapors entering the cleaners and adjoining properties.  The source removal restores the full property value without disrupting operations.

CL-Out microbes have been used at many sites in the US and Canada to remove PCE contamination from soil at dry cleaners and other industries where solvents are used. CL-Out is a consortium of microbes selected for their ability to cometabolize chlorinated solvents under aerobic conditions.  The microbes are pumped into the soil through small boreholes in the building or surrounding area.  Once in the soil, the microbes produce metabolic enzymes that convert the PCE into carbon dioxide and water without generating harmful by products.

The following case studies are examples of how quickly and cost effectively CL-Out bioremediation removes the soil contamination:

Chicago, Illinois

CL-Out bioremediation reduced concentrations of dry cleaning solvents in soil to allow for the redevelopment of a property into luxury condos.  After the old building was removed, the contractor mixed CL-Out microbes into the PCE-contaminated soil.  After 90 days the soil was tested to verify success.

The 90-day sampling showed that the remediation met the site cleanup standards.  PCE was reduced by more than 95% from a maximum of 3,100 mg/kg to less than 120 mg/kg.  A “No Further Action” letter was submitted to IEPA.  The CL-Out cost for the project was $13,000.

Orange County, California

At a site in southern California, the soil and ground water contamination was removed at at operating dry cleaners without interrupting the business operations.  CL-Out microbes were injected into the soil and ground water through small-diameter borings.  Inside the building, hand-dug borings less than 3-inches in diameter were used for the treat the soil. Two drums of CL-Out microbial solution were injected into 80 cubic yards of contaminated soil.

After 30 days soil sampling showed the PCE concentration was reduced by 85% from 775 ug/Kg to 115 ug/Kg.  No daughter product were generated during the bioremediation.

The ground water was treated simultaneously and the contaminant concentrations were reduced by more than 90%.

The cost for CL-Out to treat both soil and ground water was $9,500.

Click here to view the full case study.

Call CL Solutions to discuss removing the vapor intrusion risk at your property.

 

Surface Spills to Deep Subsurface Success With Petrox Bioremediation

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Petrox bioremediation is used to remove petroleum contamination from soil and water under many different conditions.  From surface spills to deep soil and ground water contamination, Petrox has successfully removed the contamination and environmental risk.  This summary of case studies demonstrates the applicability of Petrox bioremediation to the full range and life cycle of petroleum spills. Click here to view the document.