Bioremediated Soil Venting of Light Hydrocarbons

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Abstract
The effectiveness and feasibility of bioremediated soil venting of light hydrocarbons in the unsaturated zone was investigated. Degradation mechanics were considered as a one dimensional balance of storage, linear sorption, vertical advection, and Michaelis-Menton kinetics. The resulting analytical solution was tested successfully against field performance data of an unsaturated clay soil bioreactor for a propellant waste gas mixture of propane, n-butane, and isobutane. A series of venting simulations was run to assess the biodegradation of vapors above an aviation gasoline spill in sandy soil at Traverse City, Michigan, based on field and microcosm estimates of the kinetic parameters. Acclimated, nutrient rich soil effectively and feasibly reduced effluent vapor concentration from the strong influent concentration associated with dispersed residual gasoline in the contaminated capillary fringe. Aggregated residual contamination required a stronger airflow for a longer duration while natural kinetics were too slow for feasible and effective treatment by bioremediated soil venting at Traverse City.