Biological Treatment of Petroleum in Radiologically Contaminated Soil

Book · Mon Nov 14 04:00:00 EST 2005

OSTI ID:890079

BERRY, CHRISTOPHER

This chapter describes ex situ bioremediation of the petroleum portion of radiologically co-contaminated soils using microorganisms isolated from a waste site and innovative bioreactor technology. Microorganisms first isolated and screened in the laboratory for bioremediation of petroleum were eventually used to treat soils in a bioreactor. The bioreactor treated soils contaminated with over 20,000 mg/kg total petroleum hydrocarbon and reduced the levels to less than 100 mg/kg in 22 months. After treatment, the soils were permanently disposed as low-level radiological waste. The petroleum and radiologically contaminated soil (PRCS) bioreactor operated using bioventing to control the supply of oxygen (air) to the soil being treated. The system treated 3.67 tons of PCRS amended with weathered compost, ammonium nitrate, fertilizer, and water. In addition, a consortium of microbes (patent pending) isolated at the Savannah River National Laboratory from a petroleum-contaminated site was added to the PRCS system. During operation, degradation of petroleum waste was accounted for through monitoring of carbon dioxide levels in the system effluent. The project demonstrated that co-contaminated soils could be successfully treated through bioventing and bioaugmentation to remove petroleum contamination to levels below 100 mg/kg while protecting workers and the environment from radiological contamination.

• Research Organization: SRS
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• OSTI ID: 890079
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-2005-00341
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
09 BIOMASS FUELS
AMMONIUM NITRATES
BIOREACTORS
BIOREMEDIATION
CARBON DIOXIDE
COMPOST
CONTAMINATION
HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
MONITORING
OXYGEN
PETROLEUM
SOILS
WASTES
WATER