In-situ contaminants

Sauve S., McBride M.B., Norvell W.A., Hendershot W.H. Copper solubility and speciation of in situ contaminated soils Effects of copper level, pH and organic matter. Water Air Soil Pollut 1997 100 133-149. 

Wilson and Madsen [152] used the metabolic pathway for bacterial naphthalene oxidation as a guide for selecting l,2-dihydroxy-l,2-dihydronaphthalene as a unique transient intermediary metabolite whose presence in samples from a contaminated field site would indicate active in situ naphthalene biodegradation (Fig. 26). Naphthalene is a component of a variety of pollutant mixtures. It is the major constituent of coal tar [345], the pure compound was commonly used as a moth repellant and insecticide [345], and it is a predominant constituent of the fraction of crude oil used to produce diesel and jet fuels [346]. Prior studies at a coal tar-contaminated field site have focused upon contaminant transport [10,347], the presence of naphthalene catabolic genes [348, 349], and non-metabolite-based in situ contaminant biodegradation [343]. 

Gas station in Massachusetts Cost 65/yd to remediate 500 yd of soil (in situ) contaminated with weathered Number 4 fuel oil (D10003E, pp. 18-22). 

The best experimental setup to derive the relationship between the concentration of a contaminant in the pore water and the total concentration in soil is under discussion. Field experiments, especially those with in situ contaminated soils, match better with contaminated sites evaluation. Time-dependent influences like pore water content could show a large variation in the pore water concentration with time. Laboratory experiments suffer from lack of reality when spiked soils, sometimes containing high metal concentrations, are used. 

At times, in situ chemical treahnents are used to remove particular contaminants. This is done by introducing... 

Certain materials, most notably semiconductors, can be mechanically cleaved along a low-mdex crystal plane in situ in a UFIV chamber to produce an ordered surface without contamination. This is done using a sharp blade to slice tire sample along its preferred cleavage direction. For example. Si cleaves along the (111) plane, while III-V semiconductors cleave along the (110) plane. Note that the atomic structure of a cleaved surface is not necessarily the same as that of the same crystal face following treatment by IBA. 

The importance of low pressures has already been stressed as a criterion for surface science studies. However, it is also a limitation because real-world phenomena do not occur in a controlled vacuum. Instead, they occur at atmospheric pressures or higher, often at elevated temperatures, and in conditions of humidity or even contamination. Hence, a major tlmist in surface science has been to modify existmg techniques and equipment to pemiit detailed surface analysis under conditions that are less than ideal. The scamiing tunnelling microscope (STM) is a recent addition to the surface science arsenal and has the capability of providing atomic-scale infomiation at ambient pressures and elevated temperatures. Incredible insight into the nature of surface reactions has been achieved by means of the STM and other in situ teclmiques. 

The implementation of high-pressure reaction cells in conjunction with UFIV surface science techniques allowed the first tme in situ postmortem studies of a heterogeneous catalytic reaction. These cells penult exposure of a sample to ambient pressures without any significant contamination of the UFIV enviromnent. The first such cell was internal to the main vacuum chamber and consisted of a metal bellows attached to a reactor cup [34]- The cup could be translated using a hydraulic piston to envelop the sample, sealing it from... 

Where there are large volumes of contaminated water under a small site, it is sometimes most convenient to treat the contaminant in a biological reactor at the surface. Considerable research has gone into reactor optimization for different situations and a variety of stirred reactors, fluidized-bed reactors, and trickling filters have been developed. Such reactors are usually much more efficient than in situ treatments, although correspondingly more expensive. 

The minienvironment approach to contamination control has been increasing in use. A minienvironment is a localized environment created by an enclosure that isolates the product wafer from contamination and people (48). Another approach is using integrated processing, where consecutive processes are linked in a controlled environment (32). Both requite in situ sensors (qv) to measure internal chamber temperatures, background contamination, gas flow rates, pressure changes, and particularly wafer temperature (4). 

Basic oxides of metals such as Co, Mn, Fe, and Cu catalyze the decomposition of chlorate by lowering the decomposition temperature. Consequendy, less fuel is needed and the reaction continues at a lower temperature. Cobalt metal, which forms the basic oxide in situ, lowers the decomposition of pure sodium chlorate from 478 to 280°C while serving as fuel (6,7). Composition of a cobalt-fueled system, compared with an iron-fueled system, is 90 wt % NaClO, 4 wt % Co, and 6 wt % glass fiber vs 86% NaClO, 4% Fe, 6% glass fiber, and 4% BaO. Initiation of the former is at 270°C, compared to 370°C for the iron-fueled candle. Cobalt hydroxide produces a more pronounced lowering of the decomposition temperature than the metal alone, although the water produced by decomposition of the hydroxide to form the oxide is thought to increase chlorine contaminate levels. Alkaline earths and transition-metal ferrates also have catalytic activity and improve chlorine retention (8). 

Ex situ bioremediation may use various biological wastewater treatment processes, soil piles, or land appHcation. With in situ bioremediation, the basic process is the same microbes, soil, and water working together as a bioreactor. Where the in situ techniques differ are in how contaminants and microbes are brought in contact and how oxygen, nutrients, and other chemical supplements ate distributed in the soil—water—air matrix. Typical in situ bioremediation techniques include natural or intrinsic attenuation, air sparging, and bioventing. 

In Situ Bioremediation. In situ bioremediation can be an aerobic or anaerobic process, or a combination of the two. In designing an in situ bioremediation system, one should consider the types of microorganisms available (naturally in place or added), the stmctural and chemical makeup of the soil matrix, types of contaminants, oxygen and nutrient addition and distribution, and temperature. These factors are discussed prior to introducing the individual techniques for in situ bioremediation. 

Design Considerations. The effectiveness of in situ bioremediation is influenced by many factors, including microorganisms, soils, oxygen, pH, temperature, type and quantity of contaminants, and nutrients. 

Contaminants. The type and concentration of contaminants in an aquifer dictate what type of in situ bioremediation system, aerobic, anaerobic, or combination, ate the most effective. 

In Situ Air Stripping. An innovation to conventional pump and treat air stripping is in situ air stripping. Two horizontal wells are installed, one below the water table and one in the vadose zone. Air is injected in the lower well while contaminated soil vapor is extracted by vacuum through the upper well. 

In the early years of ground water and soil remediation, pump and treat was the conventional technology. Contaminated ground water is pumped to the surface where it is treated and reinjected or discharged to surface waters or wastewater treatment plants. Reinjection maybe used to stimulate in situ... 

J. L. Sims and co-workers. In Situ Bioremediation of Contaminated Ground Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/540/S-92/003, Washington, D.C., 1992. 

Environmental issues are driving several aspects of biotechnology. Sites contaminated by toxic wastes can be cleaned by several alternative methods, but all are expensive. The most certain way to remove toxic materials from soil is to excavate it for incineration, but this requires much labor, energy, and money. Bioremediation in situ tends to be much less expensive on one hand but is slow and uncer-... 

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