You are here:
BTEX MTBE BIOREMEDIATION: BIONETS CONTAINING ISOLITE, PM1, SOLID OXYGEN SOURCE
Citation:
DavisHoover*, W J., J. J. Fleischman, J Goetz*, K. Hristova, S. C. Hunt, M Kemper*, K. Knutson, W. Mahaffee, M H. Roulier*, K. Scow, D. J. Slomczynski, AND S. A. Stavnes. BTEX MTBE BIOREMEDIATION: BIONETS CONTAINING ISOLITE, PM1, SOLID OXYGEN SOURCE. Presented at In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation, Seventh International Symposium, Orlando, FL, June 02 - 05, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive, is a persistent and foul tasting contaminate that is more mobile in ground water than BTEX . It, along with BTEX, is turning up at many American crossroads. This study's objective was to determine if biologically active in situ Bionets could bioremediate MTBE and BTEX. Seven Bionets, most containing 3 lifts each, were placed in a site located on the Flathead Reservation Montana at the foothills of the Mission Mountains. The MTBE and BTEX plumb from a local gasoline station was contaminating farmland and threatening Native American owned surface waters. The Bionets contained 1. Isolate or sand as a control ( to help in creating bioremediation zones by facilitating inoculation, allowing attachment of the bacteria and presenting a zone for addition of oxygen by way of aeration or addition of Solid Oxygen Source) ; 2. an aerobic bacteria known to degrade MTBE, PM, which can be monitored with a genetic probe; 3. nutrients; and 4. oxygen as air or SOS. Bionet BN-01 contained 3 lifts of sand, inoculated with PM1, nutrients and air. Bionet BN-02 contained 3 lifts of Isolite, inoculated with PM1, nutrients, and SRO. BN-07 was a single lift repeat of BN-02. BN-03 contained 3 lifts of Isolite, inoculated with PM1, nutrients, and air. BN-04 contained 3 lifts of Isolite, no inoculated bacteria, nutrients, and air. BN-05 and 06 were in a more dilute portion of the MTBE plumb closer to the impacted stream. BN-05 contained 3 lifts of Isolite, no inoculated bacteria, nutrients, and air. BN-06 contained 3 lifts of Isolite, inoculated with PM1, nutrients, and air. A monitoring well was installed within each Bionet to measure contaminate concentrations and microbial activity. Results will be shown.