BER Process

Biosolids Enhanced Remediation

Innovative Remediation Technologies, Inc. utilizes a process known as BioSolids Enhanced Remediation (BER) to clean contaminated soil of pollutants. The process takes advantage of several metabolic pathways that are available with a microbial consortium capable of biologically degrading petroleum products. These pathways are both aerobic and facultative with the end-products of degradation being CO2, nitrogen gas, water, and cellular biomass.

Microbes exist naturally in the soil that have the ability to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons. However, the numbers of these organisms are generally insufficient and environmental conditions are less than optimal to achieve bioremediation in a timely fashion.

Innovative Remediation Technologies, Inc. has isolated the bacterial strains from the soil that have the capability to degrade the various chemical classes of compounds that are present in petroleum products and similar hazardous chemicals. These bacteria have been acclimated to specific contaminants until these pollutants become their preferred diet under favorable conditions. Additionally, the individual constituents of contaminant products such as benzene, toluene, naphthalene and dodecane are consumed by individual strains. The acclimation time or lag time, as it is known, is eliminated by the BER process. The lag time is generally several months when natural populations are enhanced in the soil.

The biosolids for the contaminated soils are prepared in on-site bioreactors. Inorganic macro- and micro- nutrients, as well as trace quantities of organic growth co-factors required by the bacteria are also formulated as a liquid in on-site tanks. The macro-nutrients consist of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus salts. The micro-inorganic and trace organic nutrients and are a proprietary blend necessary to enhance the growth of microorganisms. All of these are added in stoichiometrically balanced amounts to insure complete biological treatment.

The soil is screened to remove debris, pulverized by a hammermill to achieve a uniform particle size and immediately pressure sprayed with the nutrients and concentrated biosolids solution as it travels along a conveyor belt. A total of two percent soil moisture is added by this process. The bacterial inoculum results in an initial population of petroleum degrading bacteria of >1,000,000,000 cells per gram of soil. Repeated inoculation of soil with high concentrations of pollutant degrading biosolids assures rapid treatment.

Typically, the processed soils are placed in windows for incubation. During this time temperature, nutrients and moisture are regularly monitored. Weekly, and sometimes bi-weekly, turning with composting equipment and repeated additions of biosolids and nutrients serve to maximize the degradation process. Other aeration techniques can be utilized to minimize a cleanup profile on-site. General treatment time for a soil contaminated with 2500 ppm diesel is less than three weeks where reasonable limits are established. The time is shorter for more water- soluble products such as gasoline and longer for less soluble products such as fuel oils. Successful results are guaranteed by Innovative Remediation Technologies, Inc. with proper use and a guarantee of non-toxic conditions for the microbes.