Peroxy-acid Pretreatment-Microbial Biodegradation: A Hybrid Approach to Remediation of Contaminated Sediments

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

0086842 Nyman The objective of this collaborative research project is to test the feasibility of pretreating contaminated sediments and dredge spoils such that rapid and complete microbial degradation can occur. As one panelist commented, such materials have heretofore been relegated to the "impossible to deal with" category; hence, should the results of this feasibility study prove to be positive, an option for reducing the environmental impact of these materials prior to land filling or return to the environment will exist. The contaminated materials will be contacted with organic acid and peroxide. The former will prompt contaminant desorption whilst the latter will initiate the breakdown of the high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic contaminants to simpler molecules that bacteria can degrade. Following the pretreatment and neutralization, microbial degradation will be used to complete the waste treatment. The second step can, for example, be initiated with microbe-containing material from a municipal composting operation thereby providing for the integration of different waste treatment processes. This grant is made pursuant to Solicitation NSF 00-49, New Technologies for the Environment.***