Bioremediation of explosives contaminated soil

This research paper presents two bioremediation technologies for the treatment of explosives-contaminated soil. The technologies include soil slurry reactor, and in situ bioremediation. Both bioremediation technologies showed promising results and these treatment methods used co-metabolic process with molasses as a co-substrate for bacterial growth. The soil slurry reactor removed the explosive contaminants present in the soil within three weeks of incubation period. The in situ treatment method also removed all the explosives present in the soil but the treatment time was approximately 12 months. Each of the bioremediation methods descr ibed in this study has advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage in the soil slurry reactor method is the short treatment time. but the disadvantage is that it is labor intensive and expensive due to the excavation of soil, operation of slurry reactors, and post-treatment costs. The in situ treatment method has the advantage of lower treatment costs, but the disadvantage is the treatment time, which is considerably longer. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.