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I <br /> ATTACHMENT A <br />' INTR"SIC BIOREMEDIATION DATA <br /> EVALUATION <br />' This attachment provides the results of the intrinsic bioremediation (IBR) <br /> monitoring conducted at the West Weber properties Included in this <br /> I presentation are the theory and methodology behind IBR, and the <br /> interpretations and conclusions drawn specifically for this site <br /> Intrinsic Bioremediation Theory and Background Information <br /> The main concept behind IBR is to use the capacity of naturally-occurring <br /> microbes to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons that have been released into <br />' the aquifer The IBR capacity depends on the metabolic capabilities of the <br /> native microbes, the aquifer hydrology, and the aquifer geochemistry <br /> The process of "natural attenuation" refers to the actual physical, cherrucal, <br /> and biological processes that facilitate intrinsic remediation Of these <br /> processes, biodegradation is typically the predorrunant mechanism that <br /> attenuates ground water plumes by transforming contaminants into <br />' innocuous by-products <br /> During biodegradation, microbes transform available nutrients into forms <br />' useful for energy and cell reproduction through the transfer of electrons <br /> Biologically mediated degradation reactions are REDOX reactions, <br />' involving the transfer of electrons from the organic compound to an <br /> electron acceptor Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the electron acceptor for the <br /> aerobic metabolism, whereas nitrate, manganese (IV), iron (III), sulfate, <br />' and carbon dioxide serve as electron acceptors for alternative anaerobic <br /> pathways The biochemical energy level associated with different <br /> degradation pathways is directly reflected in the REDOX potential value <br />' associated with that pathway In general, biochemical mechanisms <br /> having very similar energy potential are observed to occur concurrently <br /> (such as oxygen and nitrate reactions, and sulfate and carbon dioxide <br />' reactions) Therefore, most IBR programs yield data indicative of an <br /> overlapping of electron acceptor/metabolite isopleths into zones not <br />' predicted by thermodynamics principles <br /> Thus, the general approach taken to evaluate an aquifer's IBR behavior is <br />' to analyze different areas of a hydrocarbon plume for indicators of certain <br /> A-1 <br /> 1 <br />