Aerobic Treatment

Aerobic Treatment

AquAeTer was retained by this client to design, implement, and monitor an in-situ aerobic treatment, bio-stimulation technique, for the bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The client’s site is a remote, unconfined, shallow groundwater location. A passive, gravity-fed inoculation system was designed to continuously apply AquAeTer’s patented bio-stimulant though a series of injection wells. Additional wells were installed upgradient from the injection wells for background groundwater quality and downgradient for monitoring the inoculant’s movement and degradation of PAHs. Monthly sampling for degradation and biological activity demonstrated the success of this project. In the 5-month test period, 82% of the PAHs were degraded and a half-life of less than 30 days for all PAHs was achieved. This was an order of magnitude quicker than traditional literature reported aerobic decay and 100 times faster than the pre-existing anaerobic decay pathway. The system is now patented due to its success on several sites.

AquAeTer provided the following services to its client for this sampling and reporting project:

  • Design, implementation, and monitoring plan
  • Engineering design calculations for chemical and biological activities
  • Construction of treatment system
  • Effective remediation of PAHs resulting from creosote/oil mixtures;
  • Provided a sustainable remedial alternative with low-volume of biostimulant required
  • Returned groundwater environment to its natural state when treatment injections were complete that met low risk-based numbers under TCEQ
  • AquAeTer Patented process