Bioremediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Pentachlorophenol

Soils impacted with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) and Pentachlorophenol were treated in situ and ex situ in an independent study for the US EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program. Terramend® reagent supported removal of all target compounds in soil at the Domtar Wood Preserving site.

Products
Type of Site

Domtar wood preserving site

Location

Trenton, Ontario, Canada

Contaminants Treated

PAHs and pentachlorophenol

SITUATIONAL SUMMARY

Soils impacted with wood preserving chemicals were treated in three separate plots, two ex situ and one in situ. The in situ plot had an initial mean PAH concentration of 118 mg/kg. The ex situ plots had an initial mean PAH concentration of 1,774.7 mg/kg and an initial mean chlorophenol concentration of 182.8 mg/kg. Daramend was applied to each plot.

RESULTS

In the ex situ plots, PAH concentrations were reduced by 95% to 95.2 mg/kg and chlorophenol concentrations were reduced by 98% to 3.3 mg/kg. Treatment required 209 days in one ex situ plot, 259 days in the other ex situ plot, and 308 days in the in situ plot. In an evaluation by the US EPA under its SITE program, this project was determined to be among the most effective bioremediation technologies available for use on soils impacted with wood preserving chemicals.