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Enhancement of Microbial Sulfate Reduction for the Remediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers - A Laboratory and Field Scale Demonstration

EPA Grant Number: R827015C014
Subproject: this is subproject number 014 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827015
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: IPEC University of Tulsa (TU)
Center Director: Sublette, Kerry L.
Title: Enhancement of Microbial Sulfate Reduction for the Remediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers - A Laboratory and Field Scale Demonstration
Investigators: Suflita, Joseph
Institution: University of Oklahoma
EPA Project Officer: Krishnan, Bala S.
Project Period: October 1, 2000 through September 30, 2001 (Extended to May 31, 2002)
RFA: Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC) (1999)
Research Category: Targeted Research , Hazardous Waste/Remediation

Description:

Objective:

There is a great need for effective, simple, and less costly remediation systems in the petroleum industry for the removal of hydrocarbons from contaminated aquifers. While intrinsic bioremediation is a cost-effective approach to clean-up of hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers, the rates of natural degradation can be too slow or insufficient to prevent substantial migration of the contaminant plume. Aerobic remediation is often not a feasible strategy because oxygen is poorly soluble in water and difficult to transfer into the subsurface. In a contaminated aquifer, the activity of anaerobic bacteria is usually not limited by the ability to biodegrade contaminants, but rather by nutrients and electron acceptor availability. To that end, the major goal of this proposal is to design and implement a simple bioremedial scheme to enhance the anaerobic biodegradation of benzene and other hydrocarbons by injecting inexpensive highly soluble nutrients, including sulfate as an electronic acceptor, at strategic locations within the contaminant plume to prevent the migration of hydrocarbons.

Approach:

The study site will be a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer at the Conoco oil refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Information garnered from laboratory experiments will be critical for designing and optimizing the field component of this study. Batch and column experiments using contaminated material from the site will be conducted to optimize the anaerobic biodegradation of hydrocarbons. Priority will be given to identifying the conditions that stimulate benzene biodegradation due to its toxicity, regulatory concerns, and prevalence at this site. After the laboratory experiments are completed, a full-scale field trial will test the technology at the Ponca City refinery.

The proposed bioremedial scheme, using sulfate as an election acceptor, represents a novel approach to remediating anaerobic, hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers. Basic laboratory research will be conducted by Surbec Environmental in conjunction with the University of Oklahoma. The University will provide much of the scientific knowledge necessary for process design, while Surbec Environmental has the field experience to implement and evaluate the technology. Conoco has expressed much interest in helping to evaluate and develop a cost-effective remedial scheme, such as the one proposed here, and will contribute matching funds for this project.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 1 publications for this subproject | View all 135 publications for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Water, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Remediation, Chemicals, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry and Materials Science, Contaminated Sediments, Groundwater remediation, Oil Spills, Environmental Monitoring, Treatment Technologies, microbial sulfate, hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, crude oil, petroleum industry, groundwater, contaminated sediment, remediation technologies, microbial sulfate reduction, contaminant transport, oil removal, oil spill, groundwater aquifer, soil sampling, contaminated soil, groundwater contamination, hazardous waste, bioremediation, oil wells, contaminated groundwater, sediment treatment, chemical contaminants

Progress and Final Reports:
2001 Progress Report
Final Report


Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R827015    IPEC University of Tulsa (TU)

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827015C001 Evaluation of Road Base Material Derived from Tank Bottom Sludges
R827015C002 Passive Sampling Devices (PSDs) for Bioavailability Screening of Soils Containing Petrochemicals
R827015C003 Demonstration of a Subsurface Drainage System for the Remediation of Brine-Impacted Soil
R827015C004 Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
R827015C005 Microflora Involved in Phytoremediation of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
R827015C006 Microbial Treatment of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)
R827015C007 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
R827015C008 The Use of Nitrate for the Control of Sulfide Formation in Oklahoma Oil Fields
R827015C009 Surfactant-Enhanced Treatment of Oil-Contaminated Soils and Oil-Based Drill Cuttings
R827015C010 Novel Materials for Facile Separation of Petroleum Products from Aqueous Mixtures Via Magnetic Filtration
R827015C011 Development of Relevant Ecological Screening Criteria (RESC) for Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Exploration and Production Sites
R827015C012 Humate-Induced Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Surface Soils
R827015C013 New Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells
R827015C014 Enhancement of Microbial Sulfate Reduction for the Remediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers - A Laboratory and Field Scale Demonstration
R827015C015 Locating Oil-Water Interfaces in Process Vessels
R827015C016 Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R827015C017 Continuation of an Investigation into the Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
R827015C018 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
R827015C019 Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Salt-Impacted Soil by Native Halophiles or Halotolerants and Strategies for Enhanced Degradation
R827015C020 Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of MTBE
R827015C021 Evaluation of Commercial, Microbial-Based Products to Treat Paraffin Deposition in Tank Bottoms and Oil Production Equipment
R827015C022 A Continuation: Humate-Induced Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Surface Soils
R827015C023 Data for Design of Vapor Recovery Units for Crude Oil Stock Tank Emissions
R827015C024 Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Economical Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells
R827015C025 A Continuation of Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R827015C026 Identifying the Signature of the Natural Attenuation of MTBE in Goundwater Using Molecular Methods and "Bug Traps"
R827015C027 Identifying the Signature of Natural Attenuation in the Microbial Ecology of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater Using Molecular Methods and "Bug Traps"
R827015C028 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil: Project Continuation
R827015C030 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
R827015C031 Evaluation of Sub-micellar Synthetic Surfactants versus Biosurfactants for Enhanced LNAPL Recovery
R827015C032 Utilization of the Carbon and Hydrogen Isotopic Composition of Individual Compounds in Refined Hydrocarbon Products To Monitor Their Fate in the Environment
R830633 Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC)
R830633C001 Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Economical Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells (Phase II)
R830633C002 A Continuation of Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R830633C003 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
R830633C004 Evaluation of Sub-micellar Synthetic Surfactants versus Biosurfactants for Enhanced LNAPL Recovery
R830633C005 Utilization of the Carbon and Hydrogen Isotopic Composition of Individual Compounds in Refined Hydrocarbon Products To Monitor Their Fate in the Environment
R830633C006 Evaluation of Commercial, Microbial-Based Products to Treat Paraffin Deposition in Tank Bottoms and Oil Production Equipment
R830633C007 Identifying the Signature of the Natural Attenuation in the Microbial Ecology of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater Using Molecular Methods and “Bug Traps”
R830633C008 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil: Project Continuation
R830633C009 Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites
X832428C001 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
X832428C002 Paraffin Control in Oil Wells Using Anaerobic Microorganisms
X832428C003 Fiber Rolls as a Tool for Re-Vegetation of Oil-Brine Contaminated Watersheds

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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