Horizon Information Portal

MSOE Library Home

MSOE Library Home

Home

Relative evaluation of bioremediation technologies and the conceptual design and use of bioelectrokinetics at the Marathon Oil Company, Granville Terminal. / by Edwards-Sawyer Effiong.

by Effiong, Edwards-Sawyer

Hazardous wastes -- Natural attenuation.

Petroleum products -- Environmental aspects.

In-situ Processing.

Electrokinetics

146 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Thesis advisor: James Drought.

Committee members: Dr. William Gonwa, Jeffrey McDonald.

Introduction -- The bioelectrokinetic process -- Site characterization and the electrode design -- Microbial interactions and bioelectrokinetics -- Conceptual site design -- Economies of remedial systems -- Conceptual life cycle analysis -- Conclusion and recommendations -- Appendix A: Site map -- B: Remedial option -- C: The treatment zone -- D: Contamination calculation -- E: Evaluation of alternatives.

Uncertainty and variability in parameters such as hydraulic conductivity, biodegradation rate constant and spatial distribution of the source of contaminants influence the plume size and clean up time. While no one technology can adequately address the complexity and dynamism of contaminant migration in soil and groundwater, engineering technologies are typically evaluated on their reliability, simplicity and stability. This thesis examines the feasibility of enhancing the remediation of a local petroleum hydrocarbon polluted site using bioelectrokinetics. Bioelectrokinetics utilized direct current to facilitate contaminant interaction and mobilization. As a technology that has shown promise both as a cost-effective and rapid remediation option, bioelectrokinetics has successfully been deployed on polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals. This thesis evaluates the feasibility of espousing these successes to petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants. In the evaluation and selection of a remedial system for contaminated sites, it is a common practice amongst practitioners to collate the best benefits of various technologies that ensure better returns on efficiency and optimum cleanup. This is especially most appropriate for multi-phased contaminants (a combination of cationic and anionic metals and organic contaminants) where consolidated technologies such as electrokinetic-chemical oxidation/reduction, electrochemical geooxidation, bioelectrokinetic remediation, electrokinetic-phytoremediation, electrokinetic-thermal desorption, electrokinetic-permeable reactive barriers, electrokinetic-stabilization, electrokinetic-barriers, electrochemical ion exchange amongst other innovative approaches have been demonstrated to attain excellent results.

Whether integrated or deployed alone, remediation technologies must be structured to address the requirements of mass removal, receptor protection, and an appropriate cleanup time with deference to human health and the environment. Despite the popularity of intrinsic remediation, its deployment is short of satisfying these requirements especially in the light of changing regulatory policy on soil and groundwater cleanup standards. Bench test results and performance data from peer reviewed journals, along with site specific information obtained from public files, form the basis of calculations to estimate the sustainability of the bioelectrokinetic approach. Furthermore, this project also outlines certain opportunities and difficulties in initiating and implementing bioelectrokinetic remediation. The potential to address vapor intrusion risk assessment and post-closure plume migration contingencies are addressed in this capstone design project report. Overall, the evaluations of this thesis do not conclusively demonstrate the efficacy of the conceptual system as a cost-effective remedial option for the chosen site. It, nevertheless, puts forward a strong argument for its use with petroleum hydrocarbon waste given the depth of the data presented. This thesis therefore holds that bioelectrokinetics provides a greater value over traditional methods where time is of paramount importance.

Horizon Information Portal 3.25_9885

Powered by SirsiDynix

© 2001-2013 SirsiDynix All rights reserved.

Horizon Information Portal