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Definition
Environmental remediation: providing a remedy for an environmental problem This can include removing contaminants from groundwater or cleaning up after an oil spill Remediation is not always just subject to the will of the people, but is often a matter of government regulation or intervention
Purpose
One of the main purposes of environmental remediation is to restore contaminated sites or resources to a level that is safe for humans and animals Depending on the type of damage that is done, this can be a complex and expensive process. There are companies that specialize in environmental remediation. Even with the help of these professionals and environmental experts, however, sometimes there is nothing that can be done to restore a contaminated site to a point where it is safe.
Classification
Environmental remediation technologies are divided into groups called ex-situ and in-situ. Processes that involve excavation of soil are considered ex-situ In-situ procedures are those that attempt to treat contamination without removing soil
Remediation
Once a soil has to be remediated the key issue is which is the most appropriate technology to be used? Nine possible criteria to select a remedy (The US National Contingency Plan (NCP) :
the overall protection of human health and the environment; compliance with applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements; long-term effectiveness and permanence; reduction of toxicity, mobility, and volume through treatment; short-term effectiveness; implementability; cost; state acceptance; community acceptance.
In the UK, three criteria that influence the choice of remediation techniques are considered (Beckett and Cairney 1993):
cost-effectiveness; speed of reclamation; flexibility.
Remediation Technologies
Classification/Categorization These processes can be classified according to Smith et al. (1995) as in situ and ex situ technologies Three Major categories or types of remedial actions:
Containment Removal Treatment
Classification/Categorization Containment: Restriction of contaminants to a specific domain to prevent further spreading Removal: A contaminant is transferred from an open to a controlled environment Treatment: A contaminant is rendered innocuous.
Since the inherent toxicity of a contaminant is eliminated by treatment, this is the preferred approach of the three
Containment
Accomplished by controlling the flow of the fluid that carries the contaminant OR by directly immobilizing the contaminant PHYSICAL BARRIERS:
Operation Principle: to control flow of water, thus preventing the spread of contaminant Usually, barrier installed downgradient of contaminated site
Containment
Used in primarily unconsolidated materials e.g. soil or sand May be placed to a depth of 50m Important Considerations:
Presence of the zone of low permeability, into which the physical barriers can be seated/keyed (to prevent flow underneath the barrier] Permeability of the barrier itself (to be as low as practically possible Types of Physical Barriers (Chapter 11 Pollution Science Book)
Containment
HYDRAULIC BARRIERS:
Similar Principle of Operation as Physical Barrier Based on fluid potentials Generated by the pressure differential arising from the extraction or injection of water
Containment
Wells are the most widely used method for containment, albeit with disadvantages:
Cost of long term operation and pump maintenance The need to store, treat and disposed of the large quantities of contaminated water pumped to the surface
Removal
Excavation (Dig and Dump):
Excavation of the soil where contaminants reside Used at many sites and is highly successful
Disadvantages:
Exposure of workers to hazardous compounds Excavated soil require treatment and/or disposal, which can be expensive Limited to relatively small areas (shallow, localized, highly contaminated source zones
Removal
Pump and Treat
Currently the most widely used technology for contaminated groundwater Removes contaminated water from the sub surface by using one or more wells to pump it out
Disadvantages:
Exposure of workers to hazardous compounds Excavated soil require treatment and/or disposal, which can be expensive Limited to relatively small areas (shallow, localized, highly contaminated source zones
Removal
Pump and Treat
Currently the most widely used technology for contaminated groundwater Removes contaminated water from the sub surface by using one or more wells to pump it out Clean water brought into the contaminated region by the pumping action-removes/flushes additional contamination by inducing desorption from the solid phase The contaminated water pumped from the subsurface is directed to some type of treatment operation (e.g. air stripping, carbon adsorption, or biological treatment systems)
Removal
Pump and Treat
Usually used for saturated subsurfaces, can also be used to remove contaminants from the vadose zone (Referred to as in situ soil washing)
Performance Criteria
Contaminant Plume Capture Effectiveness of contaminant removal
Enhancement of Removal
Contaminant removal can be difficult due to such factors as:
Low solubility High degree of sorption Presence of immiscible liquid phases
Which limit the amount of contaminant that can be flushed by a given volume of water
Enhancement of Removal
Approach: Enhancement of removal of low
solubility, high sorption contaminants
SVE
Tank
Residual
Capillary Fringe Vapors
Vadose Zone
SVE
Targets the removals of VOCs from the vadose zone by volatilization Shown to be effective at removing NAPL, aqueous, and sorbed phases Encourages aerobic biodegradation Proven technology with some design guidance (rule-of-thumb).
SVE
Pressure Gauge To GW Treatment Vapor/ Vacuum Flow Liquid Pump Treatment Meter Separator Unit
SVE Well
airflow paths
Groundwater
Air Sparging
Related to SVE:
Involve injection of clean air into the saturated or aquifer Purpose: to volatilize contaminants from the
soil into air bubles Air bubles make their way into the vadose zone where thay are captured using SVE system Can SERVE another purpose: for in situ bioremediation, air sparging can be used for oxygen supply
Bioremediation
Aim: To exploit the naturally occuring
biodegradative processes to clean up contaminated sites
Bioremediation
Drawbacks:
Success can be unpredictable due to complex nature of biological systems Rarely restores the environment to its original condition
Residual contamination is inherent, as a source of future pollution (still little research in this aspect)
Bioremediation
Success: Domestic sewage waste treatment From this experience: Biodegradation =
f(type of pollutant(s), type of microorganisms
Bioremediation
Factors for the successful application:
Environmental conditions Contaminant/nutrient availability Presence of degrading microorganisms When bioremediation fails, isolate the culprit-the limiting factor (not easy task)
Initial lab tests can help determine the presence/absence of microorganisms, reveal an obvious environmental factor that limits biodegradation (extreme pH, bioavailability, toxicity)
Bioremediation
Most developed bioremediation technologies based on two standard practices:
Addition of Oxygen Addition of other nutrients
In Situ Bioremediation
Defn: Methods that allow in-place clean up of contaminated field sites Great interest on these technologies because of cost effectiveness and less risk as a result of contacting the contaminants Two major types
Biological (in situ bioremediation) Chemical
Bioventing
Technique used to add oxygen directly to a site of contamination in the vadose zone (a combo of soil venting and bioremediation)
A series of wells constructed arnd the zone of contamination Vacuum introduced to force accelerated air movement This will effectively increase oxygen supply, hence rate of biodegradation Volatile pollutants are removed as the air moves-treated using biofilters
Air Sparging
Used to add oxygen to the saturated zone The injected air displaces water in the soil matrix-create temp air-filled porosity Causes oxygen increase, enhancing biodegradation rates Volatile organics into the air stream, removed by vapor extraction Methane can also be used for sparging
To stimulate growth of methanotrophic activity and comebotalic degradation of chlorinated solvents
Mineralization:
complete biodegradation of organic materials to inorganic products, and often occurs through the combined activities of microbial consortia rather than through a single microorganism
Cometabolism:
is the partial biodegradation of organic compounds that occurs fortuitously and that
does not provide energy or cell biomass to the microorganism(s). can result in partial transformation to an intermediate that can serve as a carbon and energy substrate for microorganisms, as with some hydrocarbons, or can result in an intermediate that is toxic to the transforming microbial cell, as with trichloroethylene (TCE) and methanotrophs.
Site Characterization
A contaminated site is a system generally consisting of four phases:
solid, which has an organic matter component and an inorganic mineral component composed of sand, silt, and clay, oil (commonly referred to as nonaqueous phase liquid, or NAPL), gas, and aqueous (leachate or ground water).
These phases and compartments need to be characterized with regard to extent and distribution of contamination as well as potential exposure to human and environmental receptors. Each phase affects bioavailability, i.e., interactions with microorganisms and exposure to human health and environmental receptors.
Site Characterization
Evaluating the extent and distribution of contamination at a site will provide important information that can be used as a basis to select specific bioremediation technologies, or to select a treatment train that represents a combination of physical/chemical and biological technologies. If contamination is widespread and low in concentration, then in situ treatment or natural attenuation may be feasible Conversely, with high concentrations of contaminants, soil excavation and placement in a confined treatment facility (CTF) or a land treatment prepared-bed reactor may be advisable.
Site Characterization
Distribution of contaminants at a site is determined by the physical and chemical properties of the contaminants and the properties of the site. Contaminant properties will affect whether contaminants are leachable, volatile, and/or adsorbable, and therefore will indicate which subsurface phases contain the contaminant(s). Physical phases containing the contaminants require evaluation of bioremediation potential.
When the physical and chemical properties are evaluated within the context of site characteristics, a site-based waste characterization can be used to identify the phases/compartments at the site and the chemicals associated with each phase.
Bioremediation
Bioremediation
Bioremediation
Bioremediation
Solvent 12%
Petroleum 65%
Groundwater 32%
Soil 59%
Bioventing 25%
WHY BIOREMEDIATION? IV
US. EPA/540/N-93/001 Major Waste Types Applicable to Bioremediation
WHY BIOREMEDIATION
Cost Effectiveness of Bioremediation ($)
Method Incineration Solidification Landfill Thermal Desorption Bioremediation Year 1 5301 115 670 200 175 Year 2 None None None None 27 Year 3 None None None None 20
WHY BIOREMEDIATION? VI
Some Other Advantages of Bioremediation Can be done on site Permanent elimination of waste (limiting liability) Positive public acceptance Minimum site disruption Eliminates transportation cost and liability Can be couple with other treatment techniques
(2) bioremediation is generally less disruptive to the environment than excavation-based processes; and (3) the cost of treating a hazardous waste site using bioremediation technologies can be considerably lower than that for conventional treatment methods: vacuuming, absorbing, burning, dispersing, or moving the material .
POLLUTANTS
Bio-degradable petroleum products (gas, diesel, fuel oil) crude oil compounds (benzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene) some pesticides (malathion) some industrial solvents coal compounds (phenols, cyanide in coal tars and coke waste) Partially degradable / Persistent TCE (trichlorethylene) threat to ground water PCE (perchlorethlene) dry cleaning solvent PCBs (have been degraded in labs, but not in field work) Arsenic, Chromium, Selenium
Not degradable / Recalcitrant Uranium Mercury DDT
PAH structures
Adapted from A Citizens Guide to Bioremediation, United Nation Environmental Agencies, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, EPA 542-F-01-001
Bioaugumentation
the addition of naturally occuring microbes to sites sites can be treated with high concentrations of specific microbes costs little money, time and disruption simple testing done for biocompatibility and biodegradation efficiency
TECHNOLOGY-OTHER OPTIONS
Bioventing
treating soil by drawing oxygen though it to stimulate microbe growth
Composting
Landfarming
adaptation of traditional farming techniques (aerating, ploughing) to contaminated areas to increase microbes activity
% Use in Australia
60-90 10-30 15-20 <5 5-10 <5 <5 <5 <1
Limitations to Bioremediation
Timescale Residual Contaminants Levels Inconsistency Recalcitrant Pollutants eg DDT, PAHs
Bioavailability Degrading microorganisms Aqueous solubility Toxicity
Conclusion BIOREMEDIATION:
Is a process which uses naturally occurring microorganisms to enhance normal biological breakdown. It is an effective method for treating many hazardous materials. Of all the different processes available for clean-up of sites, Bioremediation is the best and most cost effective method for remediation, with respect to environmental liability. The nature and location of the contamination, the type of soils and geological conditions, determine which method of remediation is best for each individual clean-up site.