Less costly and more rapid advanced test and evaluation techniques are needed to assist in the evaluation and design of site-specific bioremediation strategies. Validation of any new method against conventional methods or with in situ rate kinetics will be a critical step in any follow-on work. Projects should plan to include simple cost assessments for operational concepts to justify future development efforts. The proposed work could, if successful, lead to a continued development effort. Microcosm studies are a common technique used to evaluate the efficacy of bioremediation on a site-specific basis.
Microcosm studies are time consuming, costly, and require substantial technical resources.
The cost associated with evaluating the efficacy of bioremediation for site-specific application represents a substantial cost in time and funding. Microcosm studies have become an integral part of the evaluation process, contributing to the increased time and costs of remedy selection. The government reserves the right to fund more than one proposal either to meet this requirement fully or to pursue more than one innovative approach .