Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Treatment by living organism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-19
2001-05-01
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Treatment by living organism
C210S620000, C210S747300, C210S170050, C210S205000, C435S262500, C435S296100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224770
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a system and method for treating groundwater. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for remediating, via microbial action, groundwater contaminated by hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds such as alcohols, ethers and esters.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Hydrocarbon contamination of soil and groundwater at some locations is a well-known problem. Often the contamination results from past or ongoing industrial activity at the site or nearby. Subsurface contamination, particularly groundwater contamination, is a particularly serious problem because of the groundwater's ability to flow from a contaminated area to other nearby areas that were originally free of such contamination.
Some methods of treating contaminated groundwater are known in the art. Several of these methods employ microbial action in an attempt to bioremediate the contaminated groundwater. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,174 discloses a method for pumping contaminated groundwater to the surface microbiologically treating the water, and then recirculating the treated water to the contaminated site. Unfortunately, this method requires considerable above-ground equipment associated with the pumps and reactor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,291 teaches a microbial reactor that circulates contaminated groundwater through a bubbler supplied with air. The reactor contains fine particles used as microbe substrates. Unfortunately, air bubbles present in the reactor interfere with cell activity, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,114.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,458 reveals that the fine particles collide during use resulting in damage to the organisms. Air bubbles present in the bioreactor also undesirably strip out volatile organic compounds present in the groundwater in the reactor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the invention is an in-ground method for enhancing the biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminated water comprising:
directing the hydrocarbon-contaminated water so as to contact a source of microbial nutrients and an air source in order to form a nutriated, aerated, contaminated water, wherein the air source provides substantially bubble-free air, the directing and contacting being conducted underground.
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Calcavecchio Peter
Drake Evelyn Nobles
Ho Win-Sow Winston
Savage David William
Exxon Research and Engineering Company
Prince Fred
Purwin Paul E.
Simmons David A.
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