IMPROVEMENTS IN BIOREMEDIATION OF HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATED SOILS AND WATER

• Main Author: DRAKE, EVELYN NOBLES
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 05.02.2002
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS; CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING ORPROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMISTRY; DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING; DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; DYES; FERTILISERS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM; FIRE-FIGHTING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LIFE-SAVING; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FORELSEWHERE; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENTSUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVINGA SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES,SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; NATURAL RESINS; PAINTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHES; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINED SOIL SOIL; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

The present invention provides an enhanced biodegradation process by applyin g to petroleum-contaminated soil or water essential microbial nutrients in a form capable of releasing the nutrients over time a t a rate which, at 25.degree.C, is substantially linear. Importantly, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the microbial nutrients tha t are applied to the soil or water are in a form such th at the release of nutrients at 38.degree.C will be greater than that at 25.degree.C by a factor of about 2.5 to 6.0, and preferably from a factor of about 3 to about 5.0.