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United States EPA/540/MR-93/527 Er—onmental Protection Nov---ober 1993 A:,,,,,y f AAM rM�■ SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION f Demonstration Bulletin Augmented In Situ Subsurface Bioremediation Process"" BIO-REM, Inc. Technology Description:BIO-BEM's technology is an in-situ aviation fuels, and other wastes containing polyaromatic hydro- subsurface bioremediation process for the treatment of hydrocar- carbons,pentachlorophenols,trichloroethene,and dichloroethene. bon contaminated soils. Bio-REM uses a proprietary product. BIO-REM claims that over two hundred hydrocarbon compounds "H-10", of microaerophilic microorganisms and micronutrients, in have been identified as being amenable to their treatment pro- conjunction with minor components of surface tension depres- ceSs• sants and penetrants used to enhance introduction,into the pore spaces of the soil. The H-10 slurry does not contain hydrogen Demonstration Activities:The BIO-REM in situ process was peroxide or any other oxygenating compounds. The 810-REM tested at the former Liquid Fuels Storage Area on Williams Air process was demonstrated on JP-4 (jet fuel hydrocarbons) con- Force Base near Phoenix, Arizona. Soils at the 0.9 acre site are taminated soils at Williams Air Force Base,Arizona between May contaminated with hydrocarbons derived from JP-4 jet fuel as a 1992 and June 1993. result of leaking underground storage tanks and pipelines. The tanks and pipelines were removed, however, significant hydro- BIO-REM claims that the microaerophilic bacteria require minimal carbon contamination exists in the soil from approximately four 3xygen to survive and utilize hydrocarbons as electron acceptors. feet below land surface (BLS) to the groundwater table at ap- Therefore, subsurface oxygen concentration is not a limiting fac- proximately 225 feet below surface. . for since the microorganisms can exist and propagate under very low oxygen tensions. They state that no additional sources of 810-REM, through a sub-contract arrangement, was retained by oxygen nor additional nutrient treatments are necessary during the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to remediate soil at the site the course of the remediation. from four feet to twenty-five feet below land surface. The EPA SITE Demonstration Program was invited to participate in the The H-10 slurry is prepared on-site and above-ground and placed demonstration of BIO-REM's bioremediation process. directly into borings and/or wells previously drilled into the con- taminant plume. BIO-REM claimed that their in situ process would reduce organic contaminant levels in soils (4 to 25 feet BLS) from the Liquid According to BIO-REM, implementation of the technology con- Fuels Storage Area to less than the following project-specific sists of the following steps: clean-up levels: 1. Definition and characterization of the contaminant plume CONTAMINANT CLEAN-UP LEVELS including the geology, hydrogeology, and gradient of the site, and the dimensions of the contaminant plume. TRPH` 100 mg/Kg Benzene 0.130 mg/Kg Toluene 200 mg/Kg 2. Determination of application methodology. In permeable Ethylbenzene 68 mg/Kg soils, borings and wells drilled into the contaminant Xylenes 44 mg/Kg plume are sufficient. Soils containing fine sands and clays may also require lancing. `Total Recoverable Petroleum Hydrocarbons 3. Initialization and propagation of H-10, and placement In order to deliver the H-10 slurry (microaerophilic bacteria and (inoculation)of the batch solution into the contaminant micronutrients)to the sub-surface soils, 315 borings were drilled plume. The batch solution is placed into the contaminant to a depth of thirteen feet BLS across the site. The borings were plume by the application methods described in Step 2. placed on ten foot centers in areas of low to moderate oontami- The quantity of culture and batch solution placed into the nation, and on five foot centers in areas of high sub-surface contaminant plume is determined by a proprietary formula, contamination. The H-10 slurry was prepared above-ground in and is based on the type and level of contamination. tanks using groundwater from the site. Approximately 100,000 gallons of the H-10 slung were placed into the sub-surface through the network of borings. BIO-REM claimed that the pro- Waste Applicability:According to BIO-REM, a wide range of cess would require approximately sic months to achieve the site- hydrocarbon contaminants can be treated by their bioremediation specific remedial goals and that no additional amendments or process. Typical contaminants include gasoline,diesel,JP _,,es f Ndgxygan sourceswould be necessary. As a means of monitoring ��ff GG GVZ Printed on Recycled Paper n