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Environmental Technology Listing
Title of Listing:
BIOVENTING
Category:
Treatment Technologies
Subcategory:
 *Soil, All Listings
Media:
Soil
Contaminants:
VOCs
Web Site:
Email:
envirogen@gnn.com
Technology Description:

Bioventing is a full-scale in situ technology that is based on the introduction of oxygen into the subsurface to stimulate the growth of microbial activity which results in a reduction of the contaminant. Bioventing is considered optimal in cases where the contaminant is of marginal volatility or highly miscible but is aerobically biodegradable. In this process, oxygen, generally the parameter that most limits the biodegradation process, is delivered to the source area to enhance biological activity. SVE can provide the simplest and least expensive means of oxygen delivery by circulating the oxygen available in the atmosphere. Additional nutrients, generally, nitrogen and phosphorous, can be supplied to the contaminated soil zone if also required.

          The contaminants most amenable to a bioventing remediation system using SVE are vapor phase volatile and some semivolatile contaminants that are vacuum extracted via a series of wells. Bioventing has the capability of addressing semivolatiles: nutrients (usually nitrogen and phosphorous), in conjunction with the enhanced oxygen environment, create conditions that drive the biodegradation of remaining semivolatile constituents. Bioventing therefore addresses more difficult semivolatiles, and with bioventing, biodegradation is enhanced by the air movement and concentrations in the resulting off-gas can often be reduced with the appropriate design.

          Bioventing works best in uniform coarser grained soils (gravel and sand) where air flow is more predictable and is largely due to buoyancy. In uniform coarser grained soils, the injected air will display a more even distribution and will influence a higher percentage of the soil pore in the vicinity of the sparging well.
Performance Status/
Limitations:

Performance Status:

          Prototypical biological processes for vadose zone treatment have existed since the mid-1980s. Serious progress in the field has only occurred since the approximately 1988, when a greater understanding of fluid flow dynamics and general acceptance of soil vapor extraction methodologies took hold. The need for an innovative way to address residual contamination and be implemented without serious site disruption spurred bioventing advances.

          Bioventing is a proven technology to remediate volatile and semivolatile contaminants. Full-scale systems have been installed in Massachusetts.

          Limitations:

          The presence of soil heterogeneities will impact the effectiveness of the bioventing process. In situations where the heterogeneities prevent effective contact with the contaminants, the success of the bioventing process may be limited by mass transport of the contaminants from the non-contacted soil to an effective sparging area. Bioventing is also dependent upon the rate at which the biological degradation will take place, and may require extensive treatment time-frames.

          Bioventing may require expensive air controls. It is not applicable for metals or nonvolatile or inorganic contaminants.

          The success of bioventing is dependent on contact of the sparging air or dissolved oxygen with the target contaminants.
Topics
Bioremediation/Biodegradation, Technologies, Treatment/Remediation
Additional Topics/Tags/Keywords
Bioventing, Soil, VOCs, In-Situ

Organization:
ENVIROGEN, INC.
Address:
480 Neponset Street
Phone:
DescriptionNumber
City:
Canton
1.
Primary (617) 821-5560
State/Province/Territory:
MA
2.
Zip/Postal Code:
02021
3.
Country:
United States
4.
Fax:(617) 821-4967
Branch Locations: