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ENGINEERING BULLETIN: IN SITU BIODEGRADATION TREATMENT
Citation:
U.S. EPA. ENGINEERING BULLETIN: IN SITU BIODEGRADATION TREATMENT. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/540/S-94/502 (NTIS 94-190469), 1994.
Impact/Purpose:
information
Description:
In situ biodegradation may be used to treat low-to-intermediate concentrations of organic contaminants in place without disturbing or displacing the contaminated media. Although this technology has been used to degrade a limited number of inorganics, specifically cyanide and nitrate, in situ biodegradation is not generally employed to degrade inorganics or to treat media contaminated with heavy metals. During in situ biodegradation, electron acceptors (e.g., oxygen and nitrate), nutrients, and other amendments may be introduced into the soil and groundwater to encourage the growth of an indigenous population capable of degrading the contaminant of concern. These supplements are used to control or modify site-specific conditions that impede microbial activity and thus, the rate and extent of contaminant degradation. Depending on site-specific cleanup goals, in situ biodegradation can be used as the sole treatment technology or in conjunction with other biological, chemical, and physical technologies in a treatment train. In the past, in situ biodegradation has often been used to enhance traditional pump and treat technologies by reducing the time needed to achieve aquifer cleanup standards.