Bioremediation Draft Report
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United States Solid Waste and EPA 542-R-01-019 Environmental Protection Emergency Response September 2001 Agency (5102G) clu-in.org EPA Use of Bioremediation at Superfund Sites EPA-542-R-01-019 September 2001 Use of Bioremediation at Superfund Sites U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Technology Innovation Office Washington, DC 20460 i NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER This document was prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Technology Innovation Office with support under EPA Contract Number 68-W-99-003. Information in this report is derived from a variety of references, some of which have been peer-reviewed. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. For more information about this document, please contact: Linda Fiedler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Technology Innovation Office, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (MC 5102G), Washington, D.C., 20460; (703) 603-7194; e-mail: [email protected]. This document may be obtained from EPA's web site at <http://www.epa.gov/tio/>, or at <http://clu-in.org>. A limited number of hard copies of this document are available free of charge by mail from EPA's National Service Center for Environmental Publications, at the following address (please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery): U.S. EPA/National Service Center for Environmental Publications P.O. Box 42419 Cincinnati, OH 45242 Phone: (513) 489-8190 or (800) 490-9198 Fax: (513) 489-8695 ii ACRONYMS AFB Air Force Base AFCEE Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence ASR Annual Status Report BHC "-Benzene Hexachloride BTEX Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes CA Corrective Action CCl4 Carbon Tetrachloride CO2 Carbon Dioxide Cr+3 Trivalent Chromium Cr+6 Hexavalent Chromium CVOC Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compound cy Cubic Yard DCE Dichloroethene DDD Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane DDE Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene DDT Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DoD U.S. Department of Defense DOE U.S. Department of Energy DOI U.S. Department of the Interior DS Demonstration Scale EPA REACH IT EPA REmediation And CHaracterization Innovative Technologies ESD Explanation of Significant Differences FRTR Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable FS Full Scale FY Fiscal Year JOAAP Joliet Army Ammunition Plant mg/kg Milligrams per Kilogram NC Not Calculated NNEMS National Network of Environmental Management Studies NR Not Reported NSCEP National Service Center for Environmental Publications OU Operable Unit PAH Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyl PCE Tetrachloroethene PCP Pentachlorophenol PHC Petroleum Hydrocarbons POL Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ROD Record of Decision iii ACRONYMS (continued) SVE Soil Vapor Extraction SVOC Semivolatile Organic Compound TCE Trichloroethene Tetryl N-methyl-n,2,4,6-tetranitroaniline TNT Trinitrotoluene TPH Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon UST Underground Storage Tank VC Vinyl Chloride VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page 1.0 SUMMARY ................................................................. 1 2.0 OVERVIEW OF BIOREMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES ............................. 3 3.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOREMEDIATION PROJECTS AT SUPERFUND AND OTHER SITES ...................................................................... 7 3.1 TYPESOFBIOREMEDIATIONPROJECTS ................................ 7 3.2 REMEDYSELECTION ................................................ 13 4.0 PERFORMANCE OF BIOREMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES ........................ 17 5.0 COST OF BIOREMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES ................................. 28 6.0 VENDORS OF BIOREMEDIATION ............................................ 34 7.0 REFERENCES .............................................................. 35 8.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INFORMATION SOURCES ................. 37 APPENDICES A Selected Information about 104 Bioremediation Projects at Superfund Remedial Action Sites (FY 1982 - FY 1999) .................................................... A-1 B Additional Information about Development of Cost Curves for U.S. Air Force Bioventing Applications ............................................................... B-1 v TABLES Table Page 1 Description of In Situ BioremediationTechnologies................................... 4 2 Description of Ex Situ BioremediationTechnologies.................................. 4 3 FieldUseofThreeTypesofBioremediationTechnologies ............................. 6 4 Superfund Groundwater Treatment Projects (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ....................... 8 5 Contaminant Groups Treated by Bioremediation Technologies at Superfund Sites (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ......................................................... 12 6 Project Status of Bioremediation Technologies at Superfund Sites (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ......................................................... 13 7 ExamplesofRemedyChangestoBioremediation ................................... 16 8 PerformanceDataforBioremediationofPAHs ..................................... 18 9 Performance Data for Bioremediation of Chlorinated VOCs ........................... 20 10 Performance Data for Bioremediation of Soil Contaminated with Pesticides and Herbicides . 24 11 PerformanceDataforBioremediationofSoilContaminatedwithExplosives .............. 27 12 SelectedInformationfor22BioremediationProjectswithFully-DefinedCostData......... 29 13 U.S.AirForceBioventingProjects............................................... 33 FIGURES Figure Page 1 Example Configuration for an In Situ Groundwater Bioremediation System ................ 3 2 TypicalWindrowCompostingSystem ............................................. 5 3 Superfund Source Treatment Projects (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ............................ 8 4 Superfund Bioremediation Projects (FY 1982 - FY 1999) .............................. 9 5 RelativeNumberofInSituandExSituSuperfundBioremediationProjects................ 9 6 Superfund Site types Most Commonly Treated by Bioremediation (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ..... 10 7 Contaminant Groups Treated by Bioremediation at Superfund Sites (FY 1982 - FY 1999) .... 11 8 Contaminants Most Frequently Treated by Bioremediation at Superfund Sites (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ......................................................... 11 9 Number of RODs Signed for Planned or Implemented Bioremediation Projects at Superfund Sites (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ......................................................... 14 10 Bioremediation as a Percentage of Total Source Treatment RODs (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ..... 14 11 Superfund Remedial Actions: Comparison of the Number of RODs for Selected Versus Planned or Implemented Bioremediation Projects (FY 1982 - FY 1999) ......................... 15 12 U.S. Air Force Bioventing Applications: Unit Cost Versus Volume Treated (68%ConfidenceInterval) ..................................................... 32 vi 1.0 SUMMARY Bioremediation is a technology that uses microorganisms to treat contaminants through natural biodegradation mechanisms (intrinsic bioremediation) or by enhancing natural biodegradation mechanisms through the addition of microbes, nutrients, electron donors, and/or electron acceptors (enhanced bioremediation). This technology, performed in situ (below ground or in place) or ex situ (above ground), is capable of degrading organic compounds to less toxic materials such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and water through aerobic or anaerobic processes. Bioremediation is being used with increasing frequency to remediate contaminated media at hazardous waste sites because, compared with other remediation technologies, it often is less expensive and more acceptable to the public. This report focuses on the use of enhanced bioremediation technologies at 104 Superfund remedial action sites and other contaminated sites. It provides a snapshot of current applications of bioremediation and presents trends over time concerning selection and use of the technology, contaminants and site types treated by the technology, and cost and performance of the technology. This information will help inform site managers, technology users, developers, and other interested parties about the capabilities and current applications of bioremediation. Highlights of this report are listed below: • Technology Types - Since 1991, the percentage of bioremediation projects performed ex situ has decreased while the percentage of projects performed in situ has increased. In 1991, only 35 percent of the Superfund remedial action bioremediation projects were in situ versus 53 percent in 1999. Bioventing is the most commonly implemented in situ treatment technology for source treatment1. Land treatment is the most commonly used ex situ source treatment technology. • Site Types - The most common type of Superfund remedial action site where bioremediation is used is wood preserving (31 percent), followed by petroleum sites (21 percent). The most common types of contaminants at these sites are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (40 percent); benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) (37 percent); and pesticides and herbicides (27 percent). • Project Status - Over half of bioremediation projects at Superfund remedial action sites (57 percent) are in the operational phase, while 26 percent are in the predesign, design, or installation phases, and 17 percent have been completed. Of the 18 completed projects, 14 are ex situ source treatment projects, and 4 are in situ projects for source treatment