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BioTech Restorations and GeoSolve,
Inc.,
BioTech Restorations’ West
Coast Affiliate, are pleased to announce the successful
remediation of three (3) properties in California
using our Factor, to bio-remediate chlorinated compounds
detected on the properties listed in our Success
Stories area. The contaminants of concern
(COC) remediated at these properties include DDT,
DDE, DDD, Toxaphene, Dieldrin, Endrin, PCBs and Endosulfan
II.
GeoSolve’s business model includes working
with other consulting firms on behalf of BioTech
Restorations, as clients to supply
Factor and to support our clients with application
and monitoring of Factor treated properties.
Factor Description
Factor is a proprietary soil amendment consisting of
a synthesized protein biologically similar to specific
bacteria species living within the soil at the site. Every
site 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.
The Factor is a California EPA approved remedial technology
based on our work through the Department of Toxic Substances
and Control (DTSC) and the 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 below State
action levels on three different properties 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 all chlorinated
hydrocarbons, including PCBs, organochloride pesticides and VOCs.
GeoSolve and BioTech Restorations know
the economics of Factor treatments
will continue to motivate property
owners to efficiently and effectively
turn their environmental liabilities
into assets. Based on our previously
Factor treated projects, up to 70% savings were realized compared to conventional
remedial options.
Historical Factor Performance Summary
In July 2005, BioTech Restorations 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, BioTech Restorations 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, BioTech Restorations 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.
|
Property |
Target |
Initial Level |
Final Level |
Time Period |
% Reduction
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Hercules Chemical
/ aerobic/anaerobic |
Toxaphene |
5,000 ppm |
Non Detect |
23 weeks |
100 |
Amtrak / aerobic |
PCB / 1260 |
860 ppm |
<20 ppm |
24 weeks |
98 |
Columbia Power anaerobic |
PCB / 1254 |
200 ppm |
<10 ppm |
12 weeks |
95 |
Tyndall AFB / aerobic |
PCB /1260 |
5 ppm |
< 0.4 ppm |
8 weeks |
92 |
Borello Property/aerobic |
Toxaphene
Dieldrin |
6 ppm |
<0.017 ppm |
4 weeks |
99 |
Milpitas Site/aerobic |
PCBs (1254/1260) |
156 ppm |
<0.5 ppm |
60 weeks |
99 |
Mantegani Property |
Dieldrin/DDT/DDE |
9 ppm |
0.1 ppm |
28 weeks |
97 |
Please visit our BioTech Restorations Complete
Project List in our Downloads address for a historical
summary of all Factor projects to date.
Factor Cost
Once the lateral and vertical extent of the chlorinated
compound contamination is known on a specific property, BioTech
Restorations 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 BioTech Restorations 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. If a prospective client
wishes to bio-remediate a potential site, this cost will
be refunded in the total cost for the Factor. Factor
costs range from $30.00 to $60.00 per ton of contaminated
soil, depending on site access, chemicals of concern
and site complexity.
Please visit our Contact
Us address for more information.
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