BioTech Restorations

Committed to eliminating environmental liabilities.

BioTech Restorations (BTR) and GeoSolve, Inc.® have successfully bio-remediated three properties to unrestricted use in California using our Factor.  These properties are listed in our Success Stories site as the Borello Property, Mantegani Property and Barry Swenson – South Yard Property.  The contaminants of concern (COC) bio-remediated at these properties included DDT, DDE, DDD, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan II, PCBs and toxaphene. 

GeoSolve® is the West Coast Affiliate of BTR.  As BTR’s West Coast Affiliate, GeoSolve® designs site-specific Factor bio-remediation applications for complex projects, supervises Factor and nutrient application activities, coordinates routine soil mixing and irrigation events and conducts remedial performance evaluations for our clients in order to eliminate environmental liabilities. 

Factor Description
Factor is a proprietary soil amendment consisting of synthesized protein biologically similar to indigenous bacteria species living within the soil.  Every property requiring Factor treatment requires a bench study using soil from the representative site.  The bench study is an exhaustive micro-biological and bio-chemical analysis of a representative soil sample from a perspective site in the BTR laboratory.  The protein within the Factor will be similar to the protein originally destroyed by the chlorinated compounds beneath the site and added to the soil, thus genetically crippling the indigenous bacteria from metabolizing the chlorinated hydrocarbons (consuming the chlorinated hydrocarbons and bio-chemically breaking down the pesticides into inert substances).  Factor restores the indigenous bacteria back to their near original condition, enabling the bacteria to metabolize the pesticides into inert substances (chloride salt, carbon dioxide and water) and bio-remediate the site. The indigenous bacteria present at this site, which are responsible for breaking-down the chlorinated hydrocarbons include Xanthomonas and Actinomycetes and are not pathogenic in the environment.  The bacteria colonies terminate and/or are reduced to background levels after irrigation is ceased. 

BTR Factor is a California EPA approved bio-remedial technology vetted through the California Department of Toxic Substances and Control (DTSC) and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board – Region 2 (Water Board).  Our Factor was successful in bio-remediating elevated concentrations of toxaphene (up to 6.2 parts per million), dieldrin (up to 0.9 parts per million), DDT and DDE (up to 9 parts per million) and PCBs (up to 156 parts per million) to concentrations below State action levels within California.  Each property was formerly closed by either the DTSC or the Water Board for unrestricted site use.  Factor is successful in bio-remediating chlorinated hydrocarbons, including PCBs, organochloride pesticides and volatile organic compounds.

GeoSolve® and BTR understand the economics of Factor treatments will continue to motivate property owners to efficiently and effectively transform their environmental liabilities into assets.  Based on our previously Factor bio-remediated projects, up to 70% savings were realized compared to conventional remedial options.

Historical Factor Performance Summary
In July 2005, BTR applied Factor to the Borello Property, a 14-acre parcel contaminated with Toxaphene and Dieldrin down to 2 feet below ground surface in Morgan Hill, California under a DTSC approved RAW.  Toxaphene concentrations were detected greater than 6 ppm and Dieldrin concentrations were detected up to 0.48 ppm.  By August 2005, Toxaphene was not detected and Dieldrin concentrations were below 0.017 ppm.  The property was formerly closed by the DTSC in October 2005 as an “unrestricted use site.” 

In November 2005, BTR applied Factor to a 4.5-acre parcel contaminated with Aroclor 1254 and Aroclor 1260 (PCBs) up to 156 ppm in Milpitas, California under a Water Board RAP.  The contamination extended down to 5 feet bgs.  As of January 2007, remedial performance sampling indicated this property attained a statistical PCB average over the site of 0.5 ppm.  The property was closed by the Water Board for unrestricted use in February 2007. 

In May 2006, BTR applied Factor to the Mantegani Property, a 0.81-acre parcel contaminated with DDT and Dieldrin in South San Francisco under an approved DTSC RAW.  DDT was detected up to 5 ppm and Dieldrin was detected up to 0.98 ppm.  Remedial performance sampling was conducted on June 12, 2006.  Results indicated significant reduction in DDT and DDE from 8.8 ppm to 0.43 ppm and dieldrin was reduced from 0.97 ppm to 0.49 ppm.  The property was closed by the DTSC in January 2007 for unrestricted use.

The table below illustrates the results of the four Factor Treatment tests. Each test involved a single Factor Treatment incorporated into the test soil as a dry powder. The test soils were amended to increase organic carbon content and an average moisture level of 23% was maintained during the course of testing. Except in the anaerobic studies, soils were turned every ten days and monitored for microbial activity, pH; moisture content and chloride ion production. In the anaerobic studies, flooding the test chambers with de-gassed water maintained an anaerobic condition. The target contaminants were degraded in a two-step process, the first of which was microbial de-chlorination of the compound followed by rapid destruction of the residual constituent compounds. Because de-chlorination occurs as a first step in the treatment process (confirmed in chloride ion production studies), no problematic intermediate compounds were created during the treatment process.

Please visit our BTR Downloads site for additional information on our Factor biotechnology. 

Factor Cost
Once the lateral and vertical extent of the chlorinated compound contamination is known on a specific property, BTR estimates the quantity of impacted soil for bio-remediation.  Our Factor enhanced bacteria metabolically transforms chlorine attached to hydrocarbon molecules into inert substances.  Factor is non-hazardous and is applied with other soil amendments, such as lime, organic matter (manure, charcoal, etc.) and fertilizers.  Once thoroughly mixed in the soil, the soil is irrigated for approximately two months at least twice a day during warm days and every other day during cooler days until confirmation sampling indicates that the chemicals of concern have been metabolized.   

Prior to producing Factor, a bench study must be performed on site-specific soil collected from a potential bio-remediation site.  This soil consists of approximately 3 gallons of soil, submitted to BTR laboratory for analysis.  Detailed soil-chemistry, biological oxygen demand, biologically available carbon, indigenous bacteria survey and contaminants are analyzed and determined prior to conducting the bench study.  A variety of Factors are used on the soil to determine the most cost effective and efficient Factor compared to the other Factors.  The initial cost for conducting a bench study is $30,000.00.   The bench study cost is refunded from the project total cost if a prospective client retains BTR to bio-remediate their property.  Please contact BTR for site-specific Factor cost. 

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