Bioremediation by Sea-Chem

Case studies

Darlaston, West Midlands

Sanctus remediated a former gasometer site in the West Midlands using Sea Power 101 and BioBoost. There were 3000 cubic metres of material to be treated with an average TPH of 6,500mg/kg and an average PAH of 400mg/kg. Our products were sprayed directly onto the soil following screening before it was placed into windrows. It was left for twelve weeks, being turned twice in this period. It was successfully brought down to safe levels and could be backfilled and compacted. The site is now ready for use by the adjacent school.

 

Chertsey, Surrey

Tamdown won ‘Best Use of a Single Remediation Technique’ at the 2008 Brownfield Briefing awards for their treatment of this former gasworks in Surrey using Sea Power 101. After applying the product during the screening process, the contractor constructed vented biopiles housed in large poly-tunnels. Air was continually circulated through the piles, preventing the need for mechanical turning. Prior to treatment, the soil had an average TPH level of 2,410mg/kg and PAH level of 1,100mg/kg. After a period of ten weeks, these levels fell to just 394mg/kg and 218mg/kg respectively, representing a 90% reduction in overall pollution levels. Brownfield Briefing concluded that this was an achievement unlikely to be possible during the winter months by any other bioremediation method. Tamdown’s bioremediation and re-use of 3,250 tonnes of soil resulted in a saving of £195,000, which equates to more than 50% of the total contract sum.

West Thurrock, Essex

Sea Power 101 was was utilized on a former industrial site in West Thurrock, Essex, under some extremely challenging conditions. Formerly a scrapyard, the contaminated site was heavily laden with diesel and other fuels. Prior to treatment the TPH of the soil ranged between 8,000mg/kg and 10,000mg/kg. Bioremediation took place between November and December, when the weather was extremely cold. Soil from the site was mechanically screened and then sprayed directly with Sea Power 101. It was then constructed into vented biopiles and left for a period of eight weeks. Soil samples were taken after the treatment period, and showed a new average TPH level of 775mg/kg, which represented a reduction in overall human-health contamination of 90%. The site also passed the stringent leachate targets for the soil of 930μg/l TPH. From seven leachate samples, the average contamination after eight weeks of treatment was 223μg/l, less than 25% of what was required. Given the exceptionally low temperatures during this period, our client had concerns about the level of microbial activity that could be expected at the site and about the effect that this might have on the speed and extent of the bioremediation. However, the results proved that even under these extremely testing conditions, Sea Power 101 dramatically enhanced the natural degradation process at the site.

Russian Air Base, Werneuchen, Eastern Germany

Land underneath this site had become contaminated over a long period of time by a mixture of lubricant oils, hydraulic fluids and aviation fuel. Following excavation, Sea Power 101 was applied to the soil and formed into biopiles. The vast majority of hydrocarbons were removed in the first 30 days, and the site was fully remediated within four months.

Tar Works, County Durham

Heavy oils and other toxic materials had been contaminated an area of 20,000m2 at this old industrial site. Soil was excavated, treated with Sea Power 101 and placed on windrows to accelerate the bioremediation process. The whole facility was successfully remediated after four months of treatment.

Private Property, Inverness

Following the failure of a domestic heating system, kerosene fuel had contaminated the ground underneath two private houses, producing a noxious atmosphere in one of them. Sea Power 101 was injected into the earth, along with oxygen, in a conventional in-situ process. The site was fully remediated with minimum disturbance to the residents.

Farmland, Avonbridge, Near Bristol

Failure of a valve on a brand new tanker carrying waste oils and diesel led to significant hydrocarbon leakage on this arable land. A very large excavation was carried out, and contaminated soil was placed in windrows and treated with Sea Power 101. Full remediation of the land was possible in six months.

Tar Factory, Rositz, Germany

This site had been producing tar for over 100 hundred years before it was decommissioned in 1992. During the Second World War, the factory was bombed causing extensive soil pollution, which was left untreated until the 1990s. Sea Power 101 was used on the site and showed itself to be highly effective in reducing the overall hydrocarbon content of the soil and in particular the notoriously stubborn PAHs.