Bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils: The environmental restoration of a former railyard
- Kemron Environmental Services, Inc., McLean, VA (United States)
Petroleum contamination is a pervasive environmental problem. The common remedial solution has been to excavate and landfill the contaminated soils, which is hampered by high costs and space limitations at traditional disposal facilities. Bioremediation is a more attractive soil remediation alternative. This method is winning favor primarily because the soil can be treated on site, and the bioremediation systems can function without interfering with existing facilities. Although the concept of bioremediation has existed for many years, its acceptance as a cost-effective approach to remediation is only now being realized. Several problems must be addressed when considered bioremediation, including variables such as porosity and permeability of soil, indigenous or off-the-shelf microbes, availability of water, and how to best distribute nutrients to the microbes. This paper will answer how some of these questions were addressed at one site near Baltimore, Maryland. The site was part of a former diesel locomotive refueling station at a retired railyard. The levels of contamination of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) ranged from less than 100 parts per million (ppm) to greater than 14,000 ppm. The total volume of soil estimated to require treatment was 70,000 yd[sub 3]. At the Baltimore site the authors used indigenous bacteria. Groundwater was extracted, augmented, with nutrients and oxygen through mobile treatment trailers, and returned to the soil for infiltration. This method creates an environment where the bacteria can naturally degrade the petroleum hydrocarbons to acceptable levels. Once these levels are achieved, the redevelopment of prime real estate can begin.
- OSTI ID:
- 6680283
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930981-; CODEN: AABUD2
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:8; Conference: Eastern Section meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists: eastern energy, environment and education for the 21st century, Williamsburg, VA (United States), 19-21 Sep 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
PETROLEUM
REMOVAL
SOILS
REMEDIAL ACTION
GROUND WATER
PERMEABILITY
POROSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
WATER
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)