Patent EA-000660-B1 (EA)
Title: Biomass reduction and bioremediation processes and products
IPC: C05F9/04
Filed: 1996-03-13
Abstract: 1. A process for bioremediating a media containing hydrocarbon contaminants, said process comprising: A. exposing the hydrocarbon contaminants in said media in-situ to a viable culture of aerobic bacteria obtained by -mixing said waste mass with manure and secondary sewage sludge to form a compost biomass pile, said manure and sewage sludge having sufficient moisture and indigenous bacteria, including aerobic bacteria, to carry out composting of said pile; -allowing said compost pile to autothermally react for an initial time period, said initial time period being terminated upon said compost pile reaching a temperature of from about 46 degree C (115 degrees F) to about 60 degree C (140 degrees F); -adding to and distributing an alkaline material throughout said compost pile to quickly raise the pH of said pile to at least 10; -allowing said compost pile to autothermally react for a second period of time, said second period being terminated upon said compost pile reaching a temperature of at least 82 degree C (180 degrees F); -adding nutrients selected from the group comprising inorganic compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and potassium to said compost pile to support continuing metabolic reactions within said compost pile; and -allowing said compost pile to further autothermally react for a third period of time, while adding water sufficient to maintain a moisture level in said pile of about 60 to about 82 percent throughout said third time period, said third time period terminating upon said biomass degrading to produce a non-pathogenic compost product; -said reaction being carried out during said third period of time in the absence of mechanical aeration of the compost pile or the addition of gaseous oxygen into said compost pile obtaining a viable culture of aerobic bacteria, which may be capable of bioremediating chlorinated hydrocarbons and long chain hydrocarbons, including paraffin and asphalt, in the presence of nutrients and water to bioremediate said hydrocarbons by enzymatically catalyzed hydrolysis of the hydrocarbons; B. assuring the presence of sufficient nutrients and moisture to support bioremediation of said hydrocarbons; C. carrying out an enzymatically catalyzed hydrolysis of said hydrocarbon contaminants; D. periodically extracting a water solution containing bioremediation products from the situs of the in-situ bioremediation process; and E. adding fresh water to said situs in an amount approximately equal to the amount extracted in step D. above; F. said water extracting step D and said water addition step E being repeated in alternating steps until said site is sufficiently bioremediated. 2. A process according to Claim 9. characterized in that said media is a subsurface earth material or said media is located in a pit. 3. A system for in-situ subterranean bioremediation of a horizontally extending stratum in an earthen area (12) contaminated with organic or hydrocarbon material, said system characterized by: A. at least two small diameter (18, 34) wells extending vertically from the surface (14) of said earthen area (12) to points at least immediately below said stratum (16) of earth to be bioremediated; B. each said well (18, 34} having an outer tube (20, 36) enclosing a vertically extending electrode (26, 42) extending to the level of said stratum (16); C. a direct current power source (30); D. means (4, 6) for connecting a first electrode (42) in a first one of said wells (34) to a negative terminal of said power source (30); E. means (32) for connecting a second electrode (26) in a second one of said wells (18) to a positive terminal of said power source (30); F. at least the outer tube (36) of said one well (34) being perforated at the level of said stratum (16); G. means (48, 50) for supplying to said one well (34) sufficient aqueous mixture of bioremediating bacteria to allow a bioremediation reaction to take place; H. said bioremediation reaction being stimulated by said electrodes (26,42), said electrodes being energized by said power source (30): and I. means to activate said power source (30) to provide an electric field between said electrodes (26, 42), whereby said water supported bioremediation reaction is caused to migrate from said first well (34) to said second well (18) within said stratum (16) to progressively bioremediate said stratum in-situ. 4. A system for in-situ subterranean bioremediation in accordance with Claim 3, characterized in that at least said first electrode (42) in said first well (34) is an electrically conducting tube which has perforations (44) at the level of said stratum (16) and wherein at least part of said aqueous mixture is supplied through said conducting tube. 5. A system for in-situ subterranean bioremediation in accordance with Claim 3, characterized by multiple pairs of oppositely charged electrodes (26. 42) located in multiple respective wells (18,34) for driving such aqueous mixtures across differing respective contaminated stratum portions. 6. A system for in-situ subterranean bioremediation in accordance with Claim 3. characterized by a tank (48) at the surface of said site for controlled gravity feed therefrom of a portion of said mixture to said first well (34). 7. A method for in-situ subterranean bioremediation of a horizontally extending stratum (16) in an earthen area (12) contaminated with organic or hydrocarbon material, said method characterized by the steps of: A. introducing a mixture of water and bioremediating bacteria to a first location within said stratum (16); B. subjecting said stratum (16) to a direct current electric field having a positive pole and a negative pole, said positive pole being in the vicinity of said first location within said stratum; and C. allowing a bioremediation reaction to proceed at a reaction site in the vicinity of said first location, said reaction site being caused to migrate across said stratum (16) from said first location to a second location in the vicinity of said negative pole under the influence of said electric field. 8. The method for in-situ subterranean bioremediation of Claim 7, characterized in that said bioremediating bacteria comprise a viable culture of aerobic bacteria according to Claim 5 and said bioremediation reaction occurs principally by enzymatically catalyzed hydrolysis of the organic or hydrocarbon contaminant material. 9. The method for in-situ subterranean bioremediation of Claim 19, characterized in that water is added at said first location over the period of said bioremediation reaction.