Bioreactors groundwater remediation

The Biotrol methanotrophic bioreactor system is an ex situ remedial technology that uses methanotrophic bacteria to degrade contaminants in groundwater. Methanotrophs use methane... 

Environmental Remediation Consultants, Inc. (ERC) offers the BIO-INTEGRATION method for in sitn and ex situ destruction of organic compounds in soil, sediment, sludge, groundwater, snrface water, and wastewater. The BIO-INTEGRATION approach combines biotic and abiotic treatment methods to remediate subsurface contamination. On-site bioreactors are used to grow substrate- and contaminant-specific microbes. The microbes are combined with abiotic amendments and injected into the subsurface. 

Literature investigations were used in order to address the six listed challenges these are considered to be some of the most important aspects related to the bioremoval of MTBE in reactors. The focus is on the use of aerobic bioreactors for aqueous phase MTBE removal by direct metabolism. The discussions on cometabolism are confined to its own section. The concepts and information provided are mainly applicable to the ex situ remediation of MTBE contaminated groundwater. The ideas presented, however, can also be applied to MTBE removal in drinking water treatment or industrial applications. Most of the discussions are equally valuable to TBA and other ethers used as fuel oxygenates. These are for example, ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE). 

For this study, a bi-phasic bioreactor design was utilized, operating in a semi-continuous flow process, having a hydraulic retention time of four days. Groundwater, with contaminant concentrations as high as 7000 ppm creosote, was treated on-site. This demonstration achieved a removal efficiency of greater than 99% for total polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This includes a removal rate of 98% for the most recalcitrant, and most hazardous fraction of the PAHs, and 88% for PCP. The field test proved that biotechnology application for hazardous waste remediation can be effective at an actual waste site. 

---