United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/540/MR-95/536
June 1997
v>EPA
SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
Demonstration Bulletin
GRACE Dearborn Inc. DARAMEND™
Bioremediation Technology
Technology Description: The DARAMEND™ Bioremediation
Technology may be applied to the remediation of soils and
sediments contaminated by a wide variety of organic contami-
nants including chlorinated phenols, polynuclear aromatic hydro-
carbons (PAHs), and petroleum hydrocarbons. The technology
may be applied ex situ to sediment and soil and in situ to near
surface soils. The DARAMEND™ technology stimulates indig-
enous soil microorganisms to accelerate the degradation and
destruction of soil contaminants. The process consists of three
integrated treatment components: 1) amendment addition, 2)
specialized tilling, and 3) water irrigation. The technology is
based upon the addition of solid phase organic amendments of a
specific particle size distribution. These amendments are supple-
mented with controlled released macronutrients and trace ele-
ments. The amendments increase the ability of the soil matrix to
supply biologically available water and nutrients, to stimulate
indigenous contaminant-degrading soil microorganisms. The
amendments also bind contaminants to reduce the acute toxicity
of the soil's aqueous phase, thereby allowing microorganisms to
survive in soil containing very high concentrations of contami-
nants. The volume of amendments added varies between 1%
and 5% of the total weight of the soil. In some cases amendment(s)
are added oniy in the beginning of the treatment process, how-
ever sometimes 10% of the original amount of amendment(s) is
added midway or near the end of treatment depending on analyti-
cal results. The type, volume, and frequency of amendment(s)
addition is determined through treatabiiity and pilot-scale studies.
After addition of the soil amendment(s) the water holding capac-
ity (WHC) of the soil-amendment mixture is determined. The plot
is then irrigated to maintain soil water content in the optimum
range to encourage biodegradation while preventing the genera-
tion of leachate. The soil is tilled by specially designed tillers
immediately after irrigation, and at two-week intervals thereafter,
to increase diffusion of oxygen to microsites and to ensure
uniform distribution of irrigation water in the soil profile. The tiller
blades are capable of reaching a depth of 60 cm. The frequency
of irrigation is determined by weekly monitoring of soil moisture
conditions.
Materials Handling: Technology application requires contami-
nated soil to be screened to approximately 10 cm to remove
debris (rocks, wood, metal) that could interfere with the incorpo-
ration of the organic amendments. In situ, soil is screened
to a depth of 60 cm using equipment such as subsurface combs
and agricultural rock pickers. Ex situ, the soil is passed over a
mechanical screen. For ex situ application, screened soil is trans-
ported to the treatment area and deposited into a low permeabil-
ity cell (an high density polyethylene-lined earthen cell or a
concrete cell). If the soil is treated on a polyethylene liner, 10 cm
of screened sand are deposited under the liner to prevent struc-
tural damage. Another sand layer (approximately 15 cm thick)
and a 4 mm thick fiber pad are spread on top of the liner to
minimize the potential for direct contact between the liner mate-
rial and tillage equipment.
Once the upper bedding material has been uniformly spread, the
screened soil is deposited to a uniform depth of 0.5 m. The
amendment is then added and the soil/amendment is homog-
enized with a rotary tiller. Tilling reduces variation in the soil's
physical and chemical properties and facilitates distribution of soil
amendments. The tilled soil is covered by a waterproof temporary
structure to protect the soil from precipitation and control soil
moisture. The structure can either be a portable greenhouse or a
polyethylene canopy.
Waste Applicability: The GRACE Dearborn Inc. DARAMEND™
Bioremediation Technology is applicable to a wide range of
organic wood preservative contaminants. According to the devel-
oper, the technology has been proven effective at the pilot scale
on soil contaminated with total PAHs up to 18,500 mg/kg, total
petroleum hydrocarbons up to 8,700 mg/kg, and pentachlorophe-
nol up to 660 mg/kg.
Demonstration Results: The GRACE Dearborn Inc.
DARAMEND™ Bioremediation Technology was evaluated at the
Domtar wood preserving site in Trenton, ON, Canada, between
October 1993 and September 1994. The site treated wooden
poles with solutions of creosote and pentachlorophenol until 1990.
Soil contaminated with PAHs and pentachlorophenol was used
for this SITE demonstration. The evaluation was conducted in a
greenhouse in which two soil plots were established. A No-
Treatment Plot (2 x 6 m) was established as a control and did not
receive amendments, tilling, or irrigation for the duration of the
project. A Treatment Plot (6 x 36 m) was established to evaluate
the effectiveness of the amendments, tilling, and irrigation in
degrading total chlorophenols and PAHs in the soil. The technol-
ogy was evaluated over 254 days of treatment, but data was
Printed on Recycled Paper
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