Large-scale bioventing degradation rates of petroleum hydrocarbons and determination of scale-up factors

Bioventing is a cutting edge, nondestructive treatment method that uses indigenous soil microorganisms in situ to remediate petroleum hydrocarbons in the unsaturated soil zone. Transferring the application of this technology to a field environment still has some uncertainties due to scale-up challenges. In order to identify the scale-up factor, a 80-kg soil reactor system was developed, consisting of a custom-made reactor, climate chamber, low-flow venting system, and an off-gas capture device. Sandy and clayey soils were tested with known concentrations of spiked synthetic gasoline. Various environmental conditions were monitored, which included moisture levels, pH, microbial levels, and nutrient and oxygen levels. Results show a second-stage degradation rate similar to the degradation rate obtained from research conducted with a 4-kg reactor, giving an average scale-up factor of 2.3 ± 0.4. The completed research shows that working with a 80-kg laboratory reactor is feasible, yet not always necessary for the development of scale-up factors. A complimentary study with aged soil contaminants was performed and yielded degradation rates that were significantly reduced.