Foremost Solutions, Inc.

Seth C Hunt

Theodore O Meiggs

William W Slack

Lawrence C Murdoch

A method used for in situ remediation of contaminated subsurface ground and subsurface water using chemically or biologically reactive sheets. The reactive or active sheets contain one or more selected compounds capable of recovering, destroying, degrading and immobilizing contaminants in the soil or water. The compounds that will be selected depends on the contaminants to be treated. The compound may be diatomaceaous earth pellets or other porous materials inoculated with selected non-pathogenic microbes, a zero-valent metal such as iron, tin, aluminum and zinc, a leachable compound such as sodium percarbonate or an adsorptive compound such as activated carbon and zeolite. The contaminants may be petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and other hazardous chemicals. The sheets are formed by injecting a slurry of the selected compound into the subsurface using hydraulic fracturing where the orientation of the fractures is influenced by cutting and preparing a bore hole prior to the injection of the slurry. Also the sheets may be formed by employing high velocity jet-assisted fracturing using air, water and other fluids. The jet-assisted fracturing operates prior to or concurrently with an introduction of a slurry of the selected compound. The sheets may be formed horizontally, vertically and at angles dipping from the horizontal.

Method and system for bioremediation of contaminated soil using

A method for in-situ bioremediation of contaminated ground water and surface water using a porous wall filled with porous inorganic support spheres such as diatomaceous earth pellets treated by inoculation with selected non-pathogenic microbes, ie. bacteria, for destroying or converting the contaminant. The contaminants may be petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and other chemicals. The porous cells of the diatomaceous earth pellets provide a home not only for the microbes but also for oxygen, water and nutrients to help sustain the life of the augmented colonies of microbes introduced in the pellets. The method, in one embodiment, includes the digging of a trench perpendicular to the movement of the ground water and downstream from the contamination. The trench is dug below the level of the contaminated ground water and is filled with the porous inorganic support spheres creating the porous wall. Aeration pipes are installed at the bottom of the trench and gravel is used to fill the top of the trench. Also vent pipes may be installed in the trench for monitoring volatile contaminants emanating from the porous wall to monitor the progress of the bioremediation. Nutrients may be added in the form of aqueous solutions that are poured into the trench. The nutrients move by gravity downwardly feeding the microbes in the inorganic support spheres. Also, nutrients may be fed into the trench using the aeration tubes.

Method for in-situ bioremediation of contaminated ground water

A system for in-situ bioremediation of contaminated soil and ground water wherein porous inorganic support spheres such as diatomaceous earth pellets are treated by inoculation with selected non-pathogenic microbes, ie. bacteria, for destroying or converting the contaminate. The contaminates may be hydrocarbons, sulphides, cyanides, nitrates, heavy metals and other chemicals. The porous cells of the diatomaceous earth pellets provide a home not only for the microbes but also for oxygen, water and other nutrients to help sustain the life of the augmented colonies of microbes introduced in the pellets. The contaminated soil is prepared for treatment by creating fractures and fissures therein using fluid pressure introduced through spaced apart holes drilled to selected depths. The depth of the drilled holes and the hole spacing will depend on the area of contamination. The diatomaceous earth pellets, with microbes stored therein, are then injected into the spaces of the fractures and fissures using air or liquid pressure. The diatomaceous earth pellets may range in size from 0.1 to 1.0 microns or larger. When the inoculated pellets are in place, the microbes have a permanent home to receive contaminates and to work from in destroying the contaminates. The drilled holes may also be retrofited with perforated pipe for supplementing the microbes with additional oxygen, water and nutrients or adding more pellets with microbes therein for completing the clean up of the contaminated soil and ground water.

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Lakewood, CO, United States of America

Seth C Hunt