EBS TECHNOLOGIES Enhanced Bioremediation Enhanced bioremediation relies on general availability of naturally occurring microbes to consume contaminants as a food source (petroleum hydrocarbons in aerobic processes) or as an electron acceptor (chlorinated solvents). In addition to microbes being present, in order to be successful, these processes require nutrients (Carbon: Nitrogen: Phosphorus equals 100:10:2 or 100:10:1). EBS evaluates geochemical and redox conditions in aquifers as well as microbial counts for biofeasibility studies (aerobic, anaerobic, and co-metabolic). EBS will perform nutrient calculations as well as provide the design and liquids for site-specific nutrient mixes. Sometimes, the microbes necessary to provide exude the proper enzymes are not present in volumes capable of reasonable degradation rates. In those cases, EBS works with laboratories to develop microbe cultures for specific contaminants, such as MTBE, PCE, TCE and other compounds.

Enhanced Bioremediation Using Gases

Although bioremediation is generally a slow process, taking a few months to start to see results, it can be an effective and low cost remediation strategy, usually in the residual remediation management zone (Zone 2). If the source of contamination has been removed using excavation, two-phase extraction (or soil vapor extraction for the soil source zone), chemical oxidation (ozone, perozone, Fenton’s Reagent, persulfate, etc.) or other method, enhanced bioremediation is a good choice to reduce the residual concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons to levels that will allow case closure.

Enhanced bioremediation can be used to treat some source areas, particularly for chlorinated solvents, when using anaerobic processes (hydrogen infusion with lactate compounds and edible soybean oils), and off-site migration even in low permeability materials. This technology can also enhance existing pump and treat systems, reducing remediation time significantly. EBS recommends gas infusion technologies, a delivery method for electron acceptors, such as oxygen, for aerobic systems. Different gases such as propane, butane, ethene, methane or others can be used for anaerobic systems. A successful passive gas mass-transfer device is the iSOC diffusion tool, which provides up to 1.5 cubic feet of oxygen per day per well on a continuous basis. The iSOC does not contain moving parts or use electricity, but rather, uses the pressure in the oxygen tank to provide the power for oxygen infusion into the aquifer.



Different gases have different solubilities, depending on pressure (of the well column). According to Henry’s law, the higher the pressure on a gas, the more soluble a gas. Consequently, a monitoring well with 5 feet of head above an iSOC infusion tool will allow oxygen to remain at 42 mg/L, but 50 feet of well head pressure on the infusion tool will allow for up to 111 mg/L dissolved oxygen (in solution). Movement of the highly concentrated dissolved oxygen will move through the well screen and into the aquifer according to Fick’s Second Law of Diffusion, which can be observed in movies when someone exhales cigar smoke, and the smoke diffuses or spreads out in the room along a concentration gradient.

EBS performs biological and chemical laboratory bench biofeasibility evaluations for all contaminants and microcosm studies (growing the microbes on a particular substrate) for many projects, but not normally for petroleum hydrocarbon sites. These planning activities are highly recommended before starting any in-situ enhanced bioremediation program. A good hydrogeology primer is the USGS Basic Hydrogeology (Water-Supply Paper 2220 by Ralph Heath). For in-situ remediation of chlorinated solvents, the U.S. EPA document provides background information.

Well & Sampling Supplies:
• Soil Sampling Supplies (EPA Method 5035)
• Well Supplies

Enhanced Anaerobic Bioremediation

Hydrogen and Fermentable Carbon Substrates
The anaerobic fermentation process (SEE ATTACHED PDF) can be used for dehalogenation of chlorinated solvents as well as lowering the redox potential of the aquifer to encourage the precipitation of heavy metals. This approach is a well understood and documented method to remediate many chlorinated solvents (such as PCE and TCE), perchlorate, nitrate, TNT and some heavy metals, such as chromium in soil and groundwater. The EBS works in the laboratory and in the field with a variety of rapid, immediately bioavailable (hydrogen gas) to moderate (lactate) to slow and long-lasting electron donors (edible soybean oils) for a full range of carbon substrates to encourage microbial degradation and abiotic reduction processes to degrade a variety of chlorinated solvents, heavy metals, perchlorate, nitrates and other pesticides/herbicides. Edible soybean oils can be made into a micro-emulsion, which allows for better migration through the pore throat openings of the aquifer. As documented on a site in New Mexico, combining fermentable edible oils with hydrogen infusion using the gPRO (or HiSOC), chlorinated solvent dehalogenation results were up to 50% greater than just the use of fermentable oils alone. The dehalogenation process is shown below.

EBS also performs microcosm studies and works with various microbe laboratories to culture specific bacteria for PCE, TCE degradation (SDC-9 Cultures) dehalococcoides sp.(DHC) or TCA-20, dehalobacter sp. Strain TCA1 (EBS works with Shaw Environmental who supplies these specific microbial cultures).

Laboratory Bench Scale Services

Commonly overlooked, bench testing provides some of the most important site-specific information about the likelihood of success or failure of an in situ remediation project. EBS performed dozens of bench tests for in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) (bench tests for Fenton's Reagent, permanganate, persulfate, ozone, and others), enhanced bioremediation (microbiological feasibility studies and microcosm studies) and metals stabilization for numerous consulting companies. These tests are a way to optimize reactant chemistry in the laboratory rather than in the field. In addition, EBS provides bench tests for process treatments for environmental equipment to verify successful results and proper designs. Below are some of the treatment compounds that can be bench tested in the laboratory and that are used in soil and water treatments. Due to patents, some of the technologies are only allowed in above ground treatments. The treatments are listed by the type of process:

• Bench Testing
• Natural Attenuation Lab Studies
• iSOC Testing Parameters
• Microbiological Lab Analyses
• EBS Spectrophotometry Field Laboratory
• List of Field Parameters

In-Situ Chemical Oxidation
EBS designs and implements a variety of in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) processes for soil and groundwater remediation. EBS designs and provides field oversight for the high-pressure injection of liquid or solid chemical oxidants such as the hydroxyl radical (Fenton's Reagent), hydrogen peroxide, persulfate, potassium, sodium and calcium permanganate, percarbonate, and persulfate to greatly accelerate the complete destruction of petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, MTBE, BTEX, PCBs, PCPs and other organic chemicals. Delivery pressures for liquid oxidants include well and filter gallery trenches (30 to 40 psi), moderate pressure injection rods (200 to 600 psi) to high pressure (3,000 to 5,000 psi) lances. Ozone, a gas, is also used for in-situ remediation in a variety of delivery systems. EBS oversees the installation of the oxidants with proprietary injection and pumping technologies in specialized sparge points or treatment trenches. Ozone can be injected at low pressure (less than 15 psi) or higher line pressures (40 to 75 psi) for in situ applications. Safety design is an important element of any EBS-designed injection project.

• Groundwater Modeling services
• Design Considerations For In-Situ Chemical Oxidation Using High Pressure Jetting
• In-Situ Chemical Oxidation Using Jetting Delivery
• List of organisms destroyed by Chemical Oxidation

Ozone Treatment Packages

Ozone (O3) is a powerful gas phase oxidizer that can be used to treat volatile organic compounds. Ozone must be generated on-site and the gas cannot be stored; therefore all the ozone gas that is generated must be injected into the subsurface or destroyed using an ozone destruction unit on the ozone generator. The ozone gas can be bubbled into closely spaced injection ports that release the bubbles into the aquifer for remediation. The smaller the bubbles, the more surface area and the faster they can travel through small pore spaces. Pumping the ozone gas through specially designed ozone diffusers can produce micro-bubbles. Advanced oxidation processes refer to when ozone is catalyzed or enhanced by ultra violet light, hydrogen peroxide or other oxidizers, to increase the power of the ozone by producing more hydroxyl radicals. Treatability testing in the laboratory can evaluate the cost benefit of the different ozone enhancements prior to mobilizing into the field.

EBS has performed ozone and perozone (the addition of hydrogen peroxide to catalyze the ozone) bench tests. In addition, EBS has designed complete and competitive ozone packages (equipment provided by Remediation Shop www.remediationshop.com for in-situ and surface treatment of water, including wells, well points, sparge points, and trenches. EBS installation oversight is available. Please call for custom services (electronic controllers, other project requirements). With ozone compatible compressors, line pressures from the ozone unit to the sparge points can range from about 40 to 75 psi. Please note: the higher the line pressure, the lower the stability and concentration of the ozone being delivered to an aquifer or vadose zone. Safety design is an important element of any EBS injection project.

In-Situ Metals Geochemical Fixation or Stabilization

EBS designs and injects liquid and gas reducing agents to immobilize toxic soluble metals such as lead, arsenic, chromium (VI) also called “hexavalent chromium”, cadmium, nickel and other metals using geochemical fixation. The treated metals become insoluble in the process, reducing the need for expensive excavation and disposal. EBS uses sulfur dioxide (gas) as well as the following liquids: calcium polysulfide, sodium metabisulfite and ferrous sulfate in a proprietary jetting technology. Safety design is an important element of any EBS designed injection project.

• Metals Stabilization Using Geochemical Fixation
• PowerPoint - Hexavalent Chromium Remediation (click screen to advance presentation)
• Chromium (VI) Handbook
• Chromium (VI) Attenuation Study

Remediation Equipment

EBS does not sell remediation equipment, except for the inVentures Technologies, Inc. gas infusion equipment. Other companies, such as Remediation Shop www.remediationshop.com sell a variety of remedial equipment and license remedial processes. For more information, please contact: Kevin Pope, 800-794-1789). Remediation Shop installs and distributes a variety of groundwater and treatment water and soil remedial equipment such as ozone generators, thermal oxidizers, oil water separators, emulsion-splitting plants, evaporators, equipment and chemical storage, sewer treatment discharge plants, car/truck wash systems, industrial wash wastewater recycling systems, advanced oxidation systems, fluidized bed bioreactors, and grease treatment systems.

• Summary of Environmental Products
• PowerPoint - Wastewater Treatment Technologies (click screen to advance presentation)

EBS works with consultants who work with small wineries (<30,000 cases per year) and larger ones who are required to meet water treatment goals for waste water used in the wine making process and equipment washing process. Until relatively recently, this segment of industry has not seen much regulatory oversight, however, water regulators are now focusing on wineries. This water typically has 3,000 to 5,000 mg/L biological oxygen demand (BOD). EBS has developed a modular approach that is flexible for wineries as well as cost effective for discharge to land through irrigation or discharge to a sanitary sewer. Typical waste discharge requirements for discharges of winery waste are available in the link below.

• Winery Discharge Requirements

Remediation Processes

EBS provides bench testing, field testing as well as the designs and oversight for the field implementation by others of a variety of remedial processes.

• Cold Mix Asphalt Process for soils and sludges (for metals, hydrocarbons, solvents and pesticides)
• High Pressure Biosolvent Flushing Process for Groundwater (for heavy oils, diesel, motor oil, crude oil,
• hydraulic oil, PCBs, PAHs)
• CO₂ Saturated Water Injection Process for Groundwater Free Product (LNAPL and DNAPL)

Soil and Sludge Recycling Process

Cold mix asphalt (CMA) is a remedial process that recycles sludges and soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, chlorinated solvents and pesticides/herbicides into a useful product: asphalt. The asphalt can be stored for 6 months or more, and can be used for parking lots, bike paths, hiking trails, berms and other uses.

COLD MIX ASPHALT

Free Product Removal Technologies
EBS has developed or worked with two in-situ free product removal processes that are performed by others, in which EBS provides technical oversight. These include the High Pressure Biosolvent Flushing Process and the CO₂ Saturated Water Injection Process.

High Pressure Biosolvent Flushing Process
In the laboratory, an environmental-friendly biosolvent for the removal of heavy to moderate weight petroleum hydrocarbons, such as diesel, motor oil, hydraulic oil, PCBs and crude oil has been developed. It has been approved by the US EPA for use in off-shore and river oil spills. EBS uses environmentally friendly, naturally occurring surfactants for acceleration of in-situ remediation of free product (both hydrocarbon and chlorinated solvents). By generating micro-droplets, the free product is broken down from one large liquid area into billions of micro-droplets. This transformation increases in surface area, allowing for more rapid degradation by both chemical oxidation and enhanced bioremediation.

Link to high pressure biosolvent flushing process

CO₂ Saturated Water Injection Process
The CO₂ Saturated Water Injection Process (SWI) was developed by inVentures Technologies, Inc. for the removal of LNAPLs and DNAPLs in groundwater. The process uses two phase extraction equipment and above ground processing as part of the process.

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CONSULTANTS SERVED
Since 1989, EBS has served hundreds of small to large environmental consulting and engineering contracting companies, in the following industries or settings:
• EBS projects are brought in by consultants, working on a variety of settings, including many industries, including the refining and distribution of petroleum and oils, dry cleaners, transportation, marine transportation companies and rental companies as well as public sector owners such as cities, counties, the Federal government, including the military.
• Types of Properties: EBS has worked on projects on Manufacturing, Industrial and Commercial properties, for consultants whose clients represent both the private and public sector.

PRICING FOR CONSULTANTS

FIXED FEE PRICING
Many of the EBS projects (bench testing, for example) use a fixed fee basis.

PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST / ENGINEER
EBS also provides Principal Level remedial design, case closure strategy activities as well as training and consulting services to consultants for $150/hr plus expenses for Principal Level staff. This includes project management services and field oversight by a Principal Level professional, if needed.

FIELD STAFF PRICING
For engineering field staff (geologists, engineers), EBS charges $105/hour plus expenses.

EMERGENCY AND WEEKEND / NIGHT WORK
In an effort to be responsive to consultant’s needs for rapid response or low disruption remediation on site, EBS will provide services that do not occur during the normal business day. Emergency or weekend/night work will have a $25/hour surcharge added to the field staff rate.

FUNDING
EBS will work with selected projects on a wait-and-pay basis for consultants working with A and B category claimants in the California Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund (USTCF).

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