Description
Confidential Client Ontario, Canada
Project Treatment of Soil Impacted by Chlorinated Pesticides
Summary
This project was the second of three pilot scale projects within a
research and development program designed to validate certain DARAMEND®
applications on chlorinated pesticide impacted soil.
The Challenge
Treatment of 250 tons of soil impacted by chlorinated pesticides
including Metolachlor, Atrizine, and Dinoseb. Metolachor was of particular
interest since it is one of the most common herbicides used during corn
production in North America. Although Metolachlor is known to be
photodegradable at normal field application rates, its persistence in
subsurface soils, particularly when an accidental release results in
relatively high concentrations in soil, has become an environmental issue
at numerous manufacturing and warehousing facilities throughout North
America.
The Solution
A treatment cell was divided into three separate areas which included a
230-ton main treatment cell and two 10-ton treatment cells. One contained
heavily impacted soil, and the other contained soil similar to the main
treatment area for use as an untreated control. The principal contaminant
driving remediation was Metolachlor, which had an initial concentration of
67mg/kg, 170mg/kg, and 37mg/kg in the main treatment cell, the heavily
impacted treatment cell, and the control cell, respectively.
The Result
Following treatment the mean concentration of Metolachlor was reduced
to <1mg/kg in the main treatment cell and 11mg/kg in the heavily
impacted treatment cell. Concentration remained unchanged in the control
cell.
The Cost
The estimated treatment cost for the full scale application of
DARAMEND bioremediation at this site, which would have involved the
treatment of <1,000 tons of similarly contaminated material, was
approximately US$112/ton. Costs associated with full scale treatment at
this site are slightly higher than most due primarily to the small volume
of material requiring treatment.
The Timeline
The demonstration was successfully completed following approximately 10
months of active treatment in 1996 and 1997.
Companies On This Project
ADVENTUS GROUP
