Innovative Remediation 

Technology for Soil & 

Groundwater 

Contamination at Sites 

Containing MTBE and other

Pollutants

Global BioSciences, LLC
• Metabolism - bacterial cells receive energy from the 

degradation processes (i.e. of butane and other 

petroleum hydrocarbons)

- good for petroleum degradation

• Cometabolism - bacteria growing on a particular food 

source (butane) produce enzymes that degrade a 

second substrate (MTBE) (bacteria do not gain energy

from the cometabolic process)

Butane Biological Processes

Good for MTBE and chlorinated solvents degradation
Proven Effective 

Removal of...

•MTBE

•Chlorinated Solvents

•Pesticides

•PCBs

•Petroleum Hydrocarbons

•Gasoline

•PAHs

•1,4-Dioxane

•Aromatics 

•And a variety of other pollutants
GBI: Environmental Remediation

• Simpler and more efficient remediation of soil and 

groundwater

– Proprietary butane technology

– Stimulates indigenous soil and groundwater bacteria

– Enzymes produced degrade contaminants in-situ 

– No soil excavation or disposal required

– Proven track-record; technology of choice in several 

states

– Cleans multiple common contaminants
Butane Injection System

Skid Size: 4 x 4 x 6 (feet)
Butane Injection System

Skid built into shed to provide 

comfortable work space for on-site 

workers
Portable Injection Hardware for Small Sites

• Portability or mobility allows hotspot treatment and butane 

treatment at small release Sites. 

• Flexibility permits soil and 

groundwater treatment in tightly 

settled or built-up areas by 

utilizing existing monitoring wells 

as butane injection wells. 

• For hot-spot treatment, the 

mobile butane treatment system 

will significantly lower capital 

costs for injection well 

installation.

• Dramatically lowers remediation 

costs for small sites.
Delivery System Flow Diagram

Note: Activated carbon has been 

removed from process stream – large 

cost savings to client
Process Currently Accepted by...

• US Environmental Protection Agency (for Superfund

Site remediation)

• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection

• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

• Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Acceptance in other states highly likely (never rejected)


Butane Safety

• Butane distribution system mixes butane with air 

prior to injecting the mix into the soil

• Concentrations generated in the subsurface with the butane 

injector are less than 0.01% of the LEL for butane in air

• Typically butane gas is used in shaving cream cans and also 

used in food products

• Local fire departments typically require a permit to store 

Butane

• Excess butane (C4H10) in soil/groundwater decomposes into 

CO2, H2O, and other inert species in 2-3 days

• Fugitive emissions are never generated as a result of the 

process
• MTBE

• Chlorinated Solvents

Case Studies
Mobil Gasoline Station in Winthrop, MA
Mobil Gasoline Station in Winthrop, MA

Time Period Start-up + 7 Months

Parameters

VPH (ug/L) VW-1 VW-1

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MBTE) 16,000 103

Benzene <300 5.2

Toluene <300 <5.0

Ethylbenzene <300 5.4

Xylenes <300 40.9

Naphthalene <300 27.7

C5-C8 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons <500 <40

C9-C12 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 930 <15

C9-C10 Aromatic Hydrocarbons <500 303

System start-up date 12/12/2001

System operation was terminated on November 10, 2003; Site is undergoing 

post-remedial monitoring
Citgo Gasoline Station in Salem, MA
Citgo Gasoline Station in Salem, MA

Time Period Start-up + 6 Months

Parameters

VPH (ug/L) MW-3 MW-3

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MBTE) 206,000 4,090

Benzene 787 <5.0

Toluene 211 <5.0

Ethylbenzene 66.3 <5.0

Xylenes 322 <5.0

Naphthalene 58 <20

C5-C8 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons <8,000 <40

C9-C12 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 897 <15

C9-C10 Aromatic Hydrocarbons 935 <55

System start-up date 12/2/2002; 
DPW Maintenance Facility in 

Keystone Heights, Florida
DPW Maintenance Facility in Keystone 

Heights, Florida (Silty-Clay Soils)

Time Period Start-up + 4 Months

Parameters

VPH (ug/L) MW-2 MW-2

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MBTE) 4.0 <1.0

Benzene 3.0 <1.0

Toluene 83 <1.0

Ethylbenzene 387 <1.0

Xylenes 1,190 <1.0

Naphthalene 92 <1.0

System start-up date 4/4/2002; System operation was terminated on 

3/4/2003; First Site closed in Florida using butane technology
Nantucket Steamship Authority 

Site in Fairhaven, MA
Nantucket Steamship Authority Site in 

Fairhaven, MA

System start-up date December, 2001; System operation was terminated 

in June 2002

Time Period Start-up + 6 Months

Parameters

VPH and EPH (ug/L) MW-4 MW-4

C5-C8 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 54 <40

C9-C12 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 830 <15

C9-C10 Aromatic Hydrocarbons 1,200 583

C9-C18 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 19,000 <100

C19-C36 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 2,400 <100

C11-C22 Aromatic Hydrocarbons 30,000 <100
Sunoco Gasoline Station in Canton, MA
Sunoco Gasoline Station in Canton, MA

Time Period Start-up +11 Months

Parameters

VPH (ug/L) MW-3 MW-3

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MBTE) 370 52

Benzene 850 <5.0

Toluene 830 <5.0

Ethylbenzene 380 <5.0

Xylenes 2,000 <5.0

Naphthalene 110 <10

C5-C8 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 1,900 <50

C9-C12 Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 660 <50

C9-C10 Aromatic Hydrocarbons 1,700 <50

System start-up date 11/10/2000; System operation was terminated on 

10/29/2002; Site closed after one year of post-remedial monitoring
Butane Remediation of TCA/TCE

in Sioux City, IA
Butane Remediation of TCA/TCE

Project in Sioux City, Iowa for General Motors Corporation

Sampling Date 2/14/2001 4/11/2001

Parameters Before After 

VOCs (ug/L) AC-155

1,1,1-Trichloroethane 7,160 0.7

1,1,2-Trichloroethane 0 0

1,1-Dichloroethane 5,170 1.6

1,1-Dichloroethene 1,400 0

1,2-Dichloroethane 0 0

cis-1,2-Dichloroethene 5,720 3.5

Tetrachloroethene 0 0

Trichloroethene 1,400 0

Vinyl Chloride 0 0
• Hardware design is rugged, simple, and safety

certified (UL Listed)

• Hardware has approval from State Fire 

Marshals

• Injection system complies with federal, state 

and local laws and regulations pertaining to 

compressed gas delivery and storage

• Single injection panel (6-14 wells) covers ~ 1-2 

acre area

Injection Hardware is Simple, Safe

And Code Compliant
• Simple, rapid, effective for a wide variety of 

environmental pollutants

• Cost-effective and readily adaptable to large or 

small clean-ups

• No soil excavation or disposal necessary (very

minimal surface disruption)

• Subsurface bacterial populations return to 

background levels after process is stopped

• Proven track-record, acceptance growing

• Enormous market opportunity

Butane Biostimulation Summary
Thank You!

• www.GlobalBioSciencesllc.org