Abstract: Hydro Remediation of Contaminated Soils

Jack Elder

Regulatory and economic pressures are compelling owners and responsible parties to remediate contaminated soil. The technologies for remediation may be either in-situ (vapor extraction, bioremediation, etc.) or ex-situ (incineration, soil washing, etc.). Both have their place, and the choice of which remediation strategy to use depends on many factors. A major problem, however, with currently available technologies is high cost and/or lack of predictable effectiveness.

TerraClean Technologies, Inc. (TCT) was founded in 1992 to address the need for low-cost effective remediation technologies for petroleum contaminated soils. Integrating knowledge of surface chemistry, phase behavior, contaminant composition, transport phenomena, kinetics and economics, we designed, constructed and successfully operated a two-ton/hour counter-current extraction soil washing test unit. The unit was designed for treatment of and has been operated on, heavy hydrocarbons, but by utilizing the right solubilizing chemistries, almost any type of contaminant could be extracted with the unit. Extraction of contaminants to PP. or less is theoretically possible.

The unit gains its economic advantages from the patented counter-current design which allows for effective treatment in a period of a few minutes, as contrasted with tens of minutes or longer in most other ex-situ processes. This result in lower capital and operating costs and achieves the original technical objectives set forth by TCT.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90986©1994 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado, June 12-15, 1994