Patent ID: 6060292
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: B09C

Abstract:
The process of decontaminating soil containing methoxychlor by transforming said methoxychlor contaminant into harmless material which soil contains a population of viable anaerobic and aerobic microbes capable of transforming methoxychlor into harmless material and being viable under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions comprising:(a) admixing said soil with amendment material to form a solid compost mixture containing organic nutrient materials;(b) composting said soil while maintaining the temperature of the compost mixture in the range of about 20.degree. C. to 65.degree. C. and the water content of the compost mixture in the range of about 40% to 100% WHC;(c) during said composting maintaining the redox potential level of the compost mixture below about negative 200 mV until a significant amount of said contaminant is degraded; and(d) thereafter oxygenating the compost mixture to raise the redox potential level of the compost mixture to above about positive 100 mV, and maintaining the redox potential level above about positive 100 until a significant amount of contaminant is degraded.