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Bioremediation of Industrial Fill

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Historical industrial sites often have deposits of fill material containing a wide range of organic contaminants.   Perched ground water  present in the base of the fill is usually impacted by the contaminants and may provide a mechanism for off-property migration of the contaminants.  The organic contaminants are wide spread throughout the fill without a well defined source area.  Cost-effective remediation is difficult with this combination of conditions.

Bioaugmentation with CL-Out or Petrox can remove the contaminants from the fill and perched water by destruction in place.  The organisms in CL-Out and Petrox can metabolize a wide-range of organic chemicals at concentrations from separate-phase layers to part per trillion levels.  Soil and ground water contaminants are addressed simultaneously though injection of the microbes without disturbing the  site operations.

The following table shows typical results from a single application of Petrox to contaminated soil and perched ground water on July 10, 2011.  The remediation progress was tracked by ground water monitoring because it was the easiest sampling method once wells were in place.Industrial Fill TreatmentThe results show that within 30 days the contaminant concentrations in perched water were reduced by 50%.  After 60 days there was slight rebound in come of the contaminants, showing that more soil treatment may be necessary if lower cleanup goals needed to be maintained.

 

 

Field Bioremediation Rates For Petroleum and Solvents

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The success of bioaugmentation depends on effective distribution of the beneficial microbes.  If the target population is achieved, the remediation rate ranges from 50% to over 99% removal.  The rate appears to be independent of the contaminant starting concentrations.  This indepedence is the advantage of bioaugmentation.  Through bioaugmentation the density of beneficial organisms is sufficient for frequent reactions with high or low contaminant levels.  The following chart shows the results of a single application of bioaugmentation at 11 sites in different states, with different contaminants.

remediation rates with bioaugmentation

 

The chart also suggests that the results are not time dependent.  The apparent time independence may be because the reactions are completed early and because these were grid applications with the monitoring locations within the bioaugmented area instead of downgradient where the results would depend on dispersion rates.

The USEPA tested the degradation rate of oil using Munox SR for NCP listing.  The degradation rate exceeded most comparable products with 95% removal of alkanes and 89% removal of aromatics in 28 days.  The NCP test results are available at https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2013-08/documents/notebook.pdf

 

California Site Closure with Petrox Bioremediation

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Southern California Gasoline UST Release Site

After removal of USTs, piping and surrounding soils, ground water was treated with 110 gallons of Petrox® by direct injection in December 2009.  Post-treatment sampling shows that the bioaugmentation reduced the contaminant levels to below regulatory standards by the next semi-annual sampling round.

Sampling Date

 TPHg Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene

Total   Xylenes

 MTBE
Pre-bioaugmentation

10/6/09

 1,200 320 7.2 700

70

 5
Post-bioaugmentation

4/26/10

 <50 <0.5 <0.51 <1

<5

 <0.5

All concentrations shown in µg/L.

Florida Site Closures With One Petrox Application

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The following applications demonstrate the significant results that can be achieved with a single application of Petrox bioremediation.

Florida Panhandle Gas Station

Facility ID # 32-8520334

Petrox was injected through horizontal drilling to address a ground water plume with limited surface access.  After a single Petrox® application there was significant reduction in the contaminant concentrations.

Sampling Date Benzene Toluene Ethyl benzene Xylene Naph-thalene 2-Methyl naphthalene
Pre- bioaugmentation 11/11/05 4,300 3,000 1,300 5,300 240 48
10/23/07 2,700 4,200 860 5,700 240 41
Post-bioaugmentation 11/06/08 1.7 8.5 0.71 5.1 0.49 0.45
1/22/09 0.88 0.64 0.43 1.3 0.49 0.45

All Concentrations shown in µg/L.

 

Southeast Florida Gas Station

Facility ID 8838788

After removal of USTs, piping and surrounding soils Ground water was treated with 110 gallons of Petrox® by direct injection in June 2009.  Sampling six months after the Petrox® treatment showed significant reductions in all contaminants.

Sampling Date Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene Total Xylenes
Pre-  bioaugmentation 4/4/2008 480 1800.0 110.0 900.0
Post- bioaugmentation 11/12/09 <0.5 <0.51 <0.44 <0.5

All concentrations shown in µg/L.

 

Southeastern Florida Marina

Tequesta, Florida

Facility ID # 43-8731703

Subsequent to the removal of petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs), piping and surrounding soils for redevelopment, residual soil and ground water contamination at the site were treated with Petrox® bioremediation.  Petrox® was applied to the soil that was removed during the UST removals and to the ground water in the UST cavity.

Approximately 4,000 tons of soil were removed from the excavation and stockpiled on site for treatment.  The total BTEX concentrations in the excavated soil were up to 100 mg/kg.  Petrox® bioremediation was applied to the stockpiled soils.  In less than 90 days the petroleum was no longer detected in the soil and in the soil met the applicable Florida DEP standards.

Petrox® bioremediation was applied to the water in the former UST cavity to treat residual petroleum.  The proximity of the cavity to the Jupiter Sound indicated that the ground water was strongly influenced by infiltration from the Sound.  After less than 90 days post treatment, the water in the excavation also met the applicable Florida DEP standards.

 

Maximum Water Conc. Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene Total Xylenes
Pre-treatment 1,960 5,140 1,860 18,340
90 days after treatment 3.7 BDL BDL BDL

All concentrations shown in µg/L. BDL= below detection limits.

 

Central Florida Gas Station

Petrox was applied to the ground water in an area around a single monitoring well that did not respond to another treatment as well as the rest of the plume.  A single 10-gallon application of Petrox® was sufficient to apply for site closure.

Sampling Date Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene Total Xylenes
Pre- treatment 8/2/2007 11,100 1,250 1,260 5,040
Post-treatment 10/4/07 1,600 20.0 290. 840.
11/19/07 0.40 1.0 1.00 32.0

All concentrations shown in µg/L.

 

Easy Bioremediation of Oil Surface Spills

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Petrox  bioremediation of oil surface spills reduces TPH accumulation in drainage ditches and maintenance areas. Using a simple manual sprayer, Petrox microbes applied to the soil surface begin bioremediation immediately.

The following chart shows the results of the application of 10 gallons of Petrox to petroleum-contaminanted soil in a drainage ditch. After about 60 days, the TPH concentration was reduced by 67% in one location and over 90% in three locations. The Petrox cost to treat 2,000 square feet was $200.

Shallow Soil Treatment Results