Methods for enhancing bioremediation of ground water contaminated with nonaqueous halogenated solvents are disclosed. An illustrative method includes adding a composition to the ground water wherein the composition is an electron donor for microbe-mediated reductive dehalogenation of the halogenated solvents and enhances mass transfer of the halogenated solvents from residual source areas into the aqueous phase of the ground water. Illustrative compositions effective in these methods include whe...

This invention includes methods of stimulating anaerobic degradation of subsurface contaminants. The methods include vaporizing a liquid electron donor to form a treating gas. The treating gas or hydrogen is directed to a subsurface site that includes one or more contaminants, thereby stimulating anaerobic degradation of the subsurface contaminants.

Septic systems are treated with alkane-utilizing bacteria. Alkanes such as butane are injected into septic system wastewater in order to enhance growth of alkane-utilizing bacteria which degrade wastes. Aerobic processes may be achieved by injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the septic system. Alternatively, anaerobic processes may be used. The alkane and oxygen-containing gas may be injected at any suitable stage of the septic system, such as injection into a septic tank, drainfield and/or ...

An apparatus and method are provided for treating wastewater with alkanes such as butane. An oxygen-containing gas may also be introduced into the wastewater. Butane, because of its relatively high solubility, rapidly dissolves in the wastewater, thereby significantly increasing the heterogeneous microbial community and heterotrophic microbial population. This enhanced microbial population may rapidly absorb and mineralize materials in the wastestream. After an initial growth phase, the organic ...

The present invention provides a method for promoting growth of microbes capable of degrading organic material in various wastewater streams. The method includes applying a composition that comprises fatty acids, preferably a combination of one or more saturated fatty acids and one or more unsaturated fatty acids which are shown to provide synergistically greater microbial degradation than any of the saturated or unsaturated fatty acids alone. Because the unsaturated fatty acids tend to be in th...

A water purification solid material of relatively low cost whose handling is easy, produced from a natural raw material only; and a method of water purification with the use of the same. There is provided a water purification solid material for use in water purification using a microbe, characterized in that it is obtained by working only a natural raw material whose main component is a polysaccharide. Further, there is provided a method of water purification with the use of the same.

A method and system for forming an in situ subsurface filter in a contaminated aquifer and for removing contaminants from groundwater drawn from a contaminated aquifer. The filter is produced in situ by injecting an aqueous solution comprising bacteria-stimulating chemical components through a well to bioactively generate a subsurface mineral filtering zone surrounding the well. As water is subsequently drawn through the well, contaminants are removed from the water as it passes through the filt...

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, methods and apparatuses are provided for practically complete removal of one or more electron acceptors (excluding oxygen) from waters of various origins, while ensuring that an added excess of external carbon is also practically completely removed using biological treatment. A method applies to waters that contain the target electron acceptor and a deficiency of carbon. One application of this method is the practically complete removal...

A process (10) for treating sulphate-containing water (28) includes feeding the water into a biological sulphate reduction stage (12) containing a complex carbon source (18). The water is subjected to biological sulphate reduction in the presence of an electron donor source, thereby to reduce sulphates in the water to sulphides and to produce alkalinity. The complex carbon source is contacted with water containing higher sulphide and alkalinity concentrations or levels than the sulphate-containi...

Systems and methods for co-enhancing contaminant degradation such as LNAPL and DNAPL degradation. Embodiments of the inventive technology may relate to assuring adequate amounts (e.g., concentrations) of certain substances (e.g., nitrogen, electron acceptor, bacteria, microbial substrate) so that degradation of LNAPL and DNAPL is enhanced as intended. Any of the inventive methods may involve the amendment of groundwater with one or more particular substance (uric acid, electron acceptors, microb...