Remedial technologies remediation optimization

Remediation optimization uses defined approaches to improve the effectiveness and efficiency with which an environmental remedy reaches its stated goals. Optimization approaches might include third-party site-wide optimization evaluations conducted by expert teams, the use of mathematical tools to determine optimal operating parameters or monitoring networks, or the consideration of emerging technologies. Since 1999, U.S. EPA has promoted remediation optimization in the following manner ... 

Optimization efforts conducted by other organizations can be found at the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR) optimization website. 

Bettahar, M., Schafer, G., and Baviere, M. (1999), An Optimized Surfactant Formulation for the Remediation of Diesel Oil Polluted Sandy Aquifers, Environmental Science and Technology, 33, 1269-1273... 

The combination of lowering the pH to below 6.0 and increasing phosphorus concentrations caused complete mortality in all TSP-amended soils and partial mortality in the highest PR-amended soils, emphasizing the need to optimize amendment quantity and pH when using this remediation technology. 

Remedy selection involves three principal steps i) development of an overall exposure control strategy (i.e., what to do), ii) selection of optimal remediation technologies to implement this strategy (i.e., how to do it), and iii) development of appropriate design and construction specifications. The general decision process for remedy selection is described in further detail below. 

Interest in soil decontamination by electrokinetic processing has been increasing steadily, as shown by the volume of scientific studies. There have been two workshop/conferences dedicated to this topic in the U.S. in recent years [86,87] and a number of companies now have offered specialized services in this area. The technology is an emerging one and it is not yet fully mature. There exists a need to conduct further basic and applied studies before it achieves its full potential. In environmental remediation, the site chemistry before and after any application of technical processes need to be fully evaluated. It is recommended that bench scale, laboratory tests be undertaken prior to any site work to help optimize the process parameters. Although the... 

Insolubility of drugs is a great obstacle for drug function in clinical remedy and solubilization has been an important technology for solving this problem in biomedical science. A solubilized oral formulation could enhance the oral bioavailability of insoluble drugs and is an optimal choice for patients who can not take capsules or tablets. 

The membrane process minimizes the quantity of waste requiring extensive treatment by concentrating the contaminants into a reduced volume while producing a cleaner permeate for discharge. Since the contaminants are not destroyed by the process it is necessary to consider disposal options for the reduced volume concentrate stream. If the treatment options for the concentrate steam do not reduce overall treatment costs or provide a reduction in risk to human health and the environment, then the membrane system is not a feasible remedial technology. Optimally, a disposal option that can permanently destroy or immobilize the contaminants in the concentrate stream on-site is preferable to off-site transportation and disposal. 

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