1. Bioremediation:The Most
Efficient Method of Reducing
Oil Pollution
Biotechnology Design
Athens, Georgia
2014

2. Problem
 Oil, a key natural resource in today’s society, is a
major threat to the environment and will continue
to be harmful unless ways to inhibit its side effects
on the environment are developed.
 For example, the Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill in June,
2010, absolutely disrupted the ocean shoreline
ecosystem and devastated the many life forms
along the coast because of a lack of oil eating
bacteria in the sand, resulting in oil-contaminated
sand.

3. Problem
+ Oil, or gasoline, constantly leaks and is dropped on the
roads by cars. Then, when it rains, this oil is washed into
rivers and other freshwater systems as runoff, eventually
ending up in the soil along the shores of freshwater
systems. Then, the polluted soil poisons nutrients, which
are digested by plants and animals, resulting in the deaths
of numerous species.
+ This disrupts the ecosystem and possibly causes some
species to become endangered. This is a major issue
because oil-contaminated freshwater systems are also
responsible for providing fish, which are fed on by other
animals.

4. Effects of Oil Pollution
 Oil spills can contaminate the land, causing devastation of species and
ecosystems.
 When a pollutant enters an ecosystem at a lower level in the biomass
pyramid, this pollutant is magnified by a power of ten each level up.This
results in the death of many tertiary and quaternary predators, which can
have a very negative effect on the ecosystem. [We can further explain the
negative effects (overgrowth of the species below them, that kills off the
producers at the bottom)].
(Gaps)

5. Effects of Pollution
 Death ofWildlife
 ExxonValdez Oil Spill
 An estimated 250,00 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300
harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, 22 killer whales, and
billions of salmon and herring eggs died as a result
of the oil pollution produced by the spill.
 Despite various methods and efforts made to
remove the oil from the area, oil can still be found
over 20 years after the spill.
 Treatments used: hot water, high pressure cold
water, mechanical cleanup, and bioremediation.The
hot water method was determined to be causing
more harm to the environment than the oil spill, and
the fertilizer used with the bioremediation method
was toxic to marine life.
 Oil can block air passageways, resulting in the
suffocation of animals.It can also inhibit the
insulting properties of fur and feathers on animals.
Oil is toxic if ingested.
(“Tarred and Feathered”)
(Smith)
(Smith)

6. Effects of Pollution
 Oil spills can also have negative effects on humans.
 If oil comes into contact with a person’s skin, it can irritate the
skin and/or be absorbed through it.
 Many components of oil are volatile and evaporate easily.These
components can be inhaled.
 Humans can also suffer from oil spills through the consumption
of contaminated food. “Some of the oil hydrocarbons such as
PAHs bioaccumulate in fish and other organisms and may
concentrate many times more than in water or other media.”
 When an oil spill occurs on land, the oil may spread vertically
through the soil, eventually reaching the ground water. It may
also spread laterally, enlarging the area of affected soil.
(Small-scale Oil Leak)(Underground Oil Leak Spreading into a Stream) (Ungdom)

7. Effects of Pollution
 Underground oil spills, such as from
the leaking of pipelines or
underground storage tanks, increase
the chances of polluting the ground
water as the vertical distance is
shorter.
 With oil spills such as the Deep
Horizon spill, some of the oil may
remain in the environment for over
100 years.
 “Recent studies have shown that oil
spills lower soil fertility and cause
poor growth of plants.” (The Adverse
Impacts of Oil Pollution on the
Environment andWellbeing of a
Local Indigenous Community:The
Experience of the Ogoni People of
Nigeria)
(Environmental Impact of the BP Oil Spill)

8. Possible Treatments
("Flowchart of Soil Remediation")

9. Bio-SoilTreatment
• Bioremediation
• Bioventing
• Landfarming
• Landspreading

10. Bioventing
 A type of bioremediation where air is blown
into or pulled out of soil to supply oxygen to
the bacteria.This helps the bacteria in the
soil grow more efficiently and allow them
to break down the contaminant, such as oil
that is ultimately broken down into carbon
dioxide and water.
Advantages:
•Uses readily available equipment;
easy to install.
• Creates minimal disturbance to site
operations. Can be used to address
inaccessible areas (e.g., under
buildings).
• Requires usually 6 months to 2 years
under optimal conditions (short
treatment).
• Is cost competitive: $45-140/ton of
contaminated soil.
• Easily combinable with other
technologies (e.g., air sparging,
groundwater extraction).
• May not require costly off gas
treatment.
(Bioventing Process)

11. Disadvantages of Bioventing
• High constituent concentrations may
initially be toxic to microorganisms.
• Not applicable for certain site conditions
(e.g., low soil permeabilities, high clay
content, insufficient delineation of
subsurface conditions).
• Cannot always achieve very low cleanup
standards.
• Permits are generally required for nutrient
injection wells (if used). (A few states also
require permits for air injection.)
• Lastly, even though bioventing is a
plausible and feasible oil cleanup method,
it does not work as well with heavier
contaminants, such as oil, in comparison
("Principle of Bioventing")

12. Landfarming
 A biocell , a liner surrounded by a
berm, is used to place the
contaminated soil in , and the soil is
then fertilized and turned
periodically, breaking down the
contaminant. Simultaneously, the
berm is used to control the water
running onto and off of the
contaminated soil, and any water
that seeps through the soil is
collected by perforated pipes, a
leachate collection system placed
above the liner, preventing
contamination spreading from the
area to groundwater. Also, monitor
wells are placed around the area to
test whether or not any
contamination has escaped.
 Advantages:
• Relatively simple to design and
implement.
• Requires usually 6 months to 2 years
under optimal conditions.
• Cost is $30-60/ton of contaminated
soil.
• Effective on organic constituents
with slow biodegradation rates.
("Figure 4.29.jpg") Landfarming Process

13. Disadvantages of Land Farming
• Difficult to achieve to concentration
reductions greater than 95% and less than .1
ppm
• Not effective for high constituent
concentrations (> 50,000 ppm total petroleum
hydrocarbons).
• Presence of significant heavy metal
concentrations (> 2,500 ppm) may inhibit
microbial growth.
• Volatile constituents tend to evaporate
rather than biodegrade during treatment.
• Requires a large land area for treatment.
• Dust and vapor generation during
landfarming aeration poses air quality
concerns. ("Biofarming")

14. Landspreading
• Landspreading consists of tilling contaminated soil
into the surface layer of a field and letting natural
biological action and aeration clean up the
contamination.
• The main difference between landspreading and
landfarming is that landfarming is a more active
method, because it involves fertilizing and re-tilling
the area.
• In both cases, periodic soil samples are tested to check
on how breakdown of the contaminants is
progressing.

15. Mechanical/Engineering /Methods
• Soil Vapor Extraction
• Soil Washing
• Natural Attenuation and Monitoring
• Incineration

16. SoilVapor Extraction
Soil vapor extraction (SVE) involves placing perforated pipes in contaminated soil
and vacuuming the air out of the soil. This works well if the contaminant is a
volatile compound, like gasoline, which easily turns into a vapor. The air may
then be treated before being released. Often, it is used on piles of contaminated
soil that have been excavated, and on soil that is still in place.
Advantages:
•Minimal disturbance of the contaminated soil
•Treatment of larger volumes of soil than possible by excavation
•Product recovery
•Cost efficient and cost effective compared to excavation and pump and treat
systems
•Clean up spills before chemicals reach the water table
Disadvantages:
•Theoretical design equations are nonexistent
•The design of SVE systems is basically empirical
•Ineffective when the concentrations of the contaminant are low

17. SoilVapor Extraction
("Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE)")

18. SoilWashing
Soil washing involves removing
contamination from soil, gravel, and rocks
through dissolving the contaminant by
using water or a solvent, and the
contaminated soil must be moved from its
original location to an area where the
contaminated wash water can be collected
and treated.

19. Advantages of SoilWashing
 Cost effective when reducing the amount of soil that needs further
treatment or disposal
 performed under ideal conditions, can lead to a volume reduction of
approximately 90% of the originally contaminated soil (Sharma and Reddy
2004)
 Performed on-site so the large volume of soil that is not contaminated after
washing can be reused as backfill at the site.
 Performed in a closed system where conditions, such as pH and
temperature, can be controlled and closely (Sharma and Reddy 2004)
 generally the process can be run at a very high rate of around 100 cubic yards
per day (US EPA 1996)
 Can remove a range of contaminants, both organic and inorganic, from the
soil at the same time Requires a few permits in order for it to be used,
making it a relatively easy method to employ.

20. Disadvantages of SoilWashing
• Requires a large area in order to set up the system
• Will not reduce the volume of salty or clayey soils as quickly with gravely soil
• Further treatment is expensive and might not save any time or money
• Generally, ineffective for soils containing more than 30 to 50% silt, clay or
organic matter
• Wastewater needs specialized treatment, which is difficult and expensive
• Sludge remnants requiring further treatment or disposal off site
• Air emissions from equipment increase the cost of the operation and reduce its
appeal
• Exposure of the public to contaminants from contaminated soil being
excavated and handled ex situ.

21. SoilWashing
("BioGenesis Sediment Washing Process")

22. Natural Attenuation and Monitoring (MNA)
Natural attenuation, consisting of dilution, volatilization, adsorption, and
biodegradation, can be used for both soil and water. It may be allowed in lieu of
cleanup if there is little chance that the contamination will pose a threat to
people, plants or animals and when other treatment is impractical or impossible.
When this solution is allowed, the contaminated soil or water must be monitored
to show that the contaminant level has decreased and a health or environmental
problem does not exist. Generally, monitoring must be carried on for a longer
time in Alaska, because natural attenuation can take much longer due to cold
temperatures and short daylight in the winters.
("Innovative-Technologies-1.jpg") ("MNA1.jpg")
Monitoring Equipment
("Washclosure10.JPG")
Oily Dirt

23. Advantages of MNA
As with any in situ process, generation of lesser volume of remediation wastes, reduced
potential for cross-media transfer of contaminants commonly associated with ex situ
treatment, and reduced risk of human exposure to contaminants, contaminated media,
and other hazards, and reduced disturbances to ecological receptors;
• Some natural attenuation processes may result in in-situ destruction of contaminants;
• Less intrusion as few surface structures are required;
• Potential for application to all or part of a given site, depending on site conditions and
remediation objectives;
• Use in conjunction with, or as a follow-up to, other (active) remedial measures; and
• Potentially lower overall remediation costs than those associated with active
remediation.
("0909-AFRACKING-oil-shale_full_600.jpg")
Rock with Oil Streaks
("Division WIG Ram Island")
Shoreline

24. Disadvantages of MNA
Longer time frames may be required to achieve remediation objectives,
compared to active remediation measures at a given site;
• Site characterization is expected to be more complex and costly;
• Toxicity and/or mobility of transformation products may exceed that of the parent
compound;
• Long-term performance monitoring will generally be more extensive and for a longer
time;
• Institutional controls may be necessary to ensure long term protectiveness;
• Potential exists for continued contamination migration, and/or cross-media transfer of
contaminants;
• Hydrologic and geochemical conditions amenable to natural attenuation may change
over time and could result in renewed mobility of previously stabilized contaminants (or
naturally occurring metals), adversely impacting remedial effectiveness; and
• More extensive education and outreach efforts may be required in order to gain public
acceptance of MNA.

25. Incineration
Soil contaminated with hazardous substances that can be burned at moderately low
temperatures and result in safe byproducts are good candidates for incineration. Chemicals
that need a much higher temperature or do not form safe byproducts can still be
incinerated, but the job must be done at a special incinerator with good air quality control
devices. If a large amount of soil must be treated, a mobile incinerator can be brought to a
site. In-state soil burners are able to handle oil-type spills. Soil contaminated with hazardous
wastes, like PCBs or solvents, must be shipped out of state because they require special
types of EPA-approved incinerators that are not available in Alaska.
However, the process undertakes only a small capacity and is very expensive.
("alttechs1.jpg")Black Smoke ("Burning Smoke Fire Wooded") ("Photo2DanalsIMG_6699.jpg")
Three Columns of Smoke

26. GroundwaterTreatment
• Natural
Attenuation
• Air Sparging
• Pump and Treat
– Natural attenuation and
bioremediation are the most commonly
used treatment methods for
groundwater in Alaska.

27. Air Sparging
 Air sparging involves forcing air downward into a contaminated aquifer. Air
bubbles are created, moving horizontally and vertically through the soil,
which creates an underground stripper that removes contaminants by
volatilization.These air bubbles then carry the contaminants to a vapor
extraction system. Air sparging wells can also be used to create a barrier
preventing contaminated groundwater from leaving a site.
("Figure 1")
Air Sparaging Process

28. Advantages of Air Sparging
• Readily available equipment; easy installation
• Implemented with minimal disturbance to site operations
• Short treatment times: usually less than 1 to 3 years under optimal conditions
• At about $20-$50/ton of saturated soil, air sparging is less costly than
aboveground treatment systems
• Requires no removal, treatment, storage, or discharge considerations for
groundwater
• Removal is enhanced by soil vapor extraction
("Air Sparging")
Air Sparaging Equipment

29. Disadvantages of Air Sparging
• Cannot be used for treatment of confined aquifers.
• Stratified soils may cause air sparging to be ineffective.
• Some interactions among complex chemical, physical, and biological
processes are not well understood.
• Lack of field and laboratory data to support design considerations.
• Potential for inducing migration of constituents.
• Requires detailed pilot testing and monitoring to ensure vapor control and
limit migration.
("One of the Many")Stratified Soil ("Aquifer Diagram")

30. Pump andTreat
•This method involves pumping
contaminated water out of the
ground, running it through a
filter or other treatment system
to remove the contamination,
and returning the water to the
ground. It is effective for any
contaminant for which there is a
good filter method, such as
dissolved oil. It often takes many
years to successfully remove the
contamination.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
Cumulativenetpresentcost($million)
Time (years)
Pump & treat
Permeable reactive barrier (10yr)
Natural attenuation
("Cumulative Net Present Cost")

31. Removal of Contaminated Soil,Water, or
Debris
Sometimes contaminated material may have to be removed and shipped to an
off-site waste treatment and disposal facility. This can happen when the
contaminant cannot be removed easily by any of the methods discussed
above, or when the responsible person wants to clean up and close the site
quickly. (Very Expensive)
("MichCon_cleanup_CS_51_display")
Removal of Contaminated Soil
("Water Images")
Removal of Contaminated Water ("0614_biogas_o'brienH1*304.jpg")
Waste Treatment Facility

32. Bioremediation
• Bioremediation is the process of degrading
hydrocarbons via microorganisms.
Additives, such as oxygen, may be used to
augment the degradation rate. These
microorganisms or bacteria occur naturally
in the environment. Furthermore, they can
be isolated and expanded to help
remediate oil spills faster.

33. Bioremediation
• However, today’s technology mostly consists of
physical methods involving skimmers, vacuums,
and in situ burning, which tend to be expensive
an labor-intensive, and chemical methods,
which tend to be expensive and poisonous to
marine life.The Deepwater Horizon incident in
the Gulf of Mexico is a great example of the
challenges we face and lack of effective
technology we possess in cleaning up oil
contaminated soil and water.

34. Bioremediation
• The answer to this problem is bioremediation.
According to the Environmental Protection
Agency, due to a greater efficiency, the
government and industries see bioremediation
as a high priority. Additionally, microbial cells
can be manipulated to be able to withstand
various environments including both soil and
water simultaneously, which would solve oil
contamination issues along the shoreline on
beaches.

35. Advantages of Bioremediation
• The process is an ecologically safe and natural
process. It is "natures way" of solving contamination
problems.
• Bioremediation is cost effective.The process is
generally 60-70% less costly than other technologies.
• Little disruption of surrounding, non-contaminated
areas.
• Virtually no investment in "capital equipment".
• Can remediate areas that are not easily accessible or
inaccessible to other technologies.

36. Advantages of Bioremediation
• Bioremediation can be accomplished in-place (In
Situ) thereby eliminating the hazard of "off-site"
contamination caused by digging, hauling and
transporting of contaminants to other areas.
• Air quality and air pollution concerns from volatile
chemical evaporation are eliminated.
• After bioremediation is completed, the
environment is virtually restored to its pristine
condition.
• The process poses no health or safety risks to your
employees thereby reducing insurance costs.

37. Disadvantages of Bioremediation
If the process is not controlled it is possible the organic contaminants
may not be broken down fully resulting in toxic by-products that could
be more mobile than the initial contamination.
The process is sensitive to the level of toxicity and environmental
conditions in the ground i.e. the conditions must be conducive to
microbial activity e.g. need to consider temperature, pH etc.
Field monitoring to track the rate of biodegradation of the organic
contaminants is advised.
If an ex-situ process is used, controlling volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) may be difficult.
("Bioremediation of a Polluted Canal Before and After")

38. Disadvantages of Bioremediation
 Treatment time is typically longer
than that of other remediation
technologies.
 Range of contaminants that can be
effectively treated is limited to
compounds that are biodegradable.
 Leaves residual levels that can be too
high (not meeting regulatory
requirements), persistent, and/or
toxic.
 Performance evaluations are difficult
because there is not a defined level of
a "clean" site and therefore
performance criteria regulations are
uncertain
("Grease Trap Treatment")
("Bioremediation")Bioremediation via Plants

39. ("Bioremediation")

40. Solution
Bioremediation: Transfect a common soil and water bacteria,
so that oil can be degraded in various environments.
("Bioremediation")Bioremediation via Plants

41. Application
 If the bacteria are successfully transfected, it is possible
that plants could be transfected. Organisms could be
made to contain this gene, passing it on to their
offspring and perpetuating the spread of the ability to
naturally decompose harmful oil present in the
environment. Plants containing this gene would be able
to remove oil from the environment safely and
efficiently.Various species could be transfected to
ensure that all, or almost all, sources of water were
treated.Transfecting various species of plants would
also enable the process to occur in marine, freshwater,
and land environments.

42. Application
 The transfected bacteria would be used to remove
the oil from the sand on the ocean floor in the
event of an offshore oil spill.To prevent harming
the organisms in the sand on the shore and other
places, this bacterium could be inserted into the
specific ecosystems. It would decompose the oil,
safely removing it from the environment without
harming other organisms.The bacterium itself
would not negatively affect the ecosystem and
would therefore be an ideal solution to this
pressing problem.

43. Real-Life Application: Altogen Labs
+ Altogen Lab, Texas-based biotechnology company, scientists
have found these oil-degrading bacterial strains to be naturally
present in various types of soil and water; however, upon
contamination with crude oil, the concentration of bacteria
increases dramatically because these bacteria feed on oil.
Unfortunately, this process only occurs on the edge of the oil
spill, as most microorganisms need other nutrients and oxygen
to survive, making the ecosystem relatively inefficient for
bioremediation.
("Order Now")("Soil Bioremediation Products and Services")

44. Real-Life Application: Altogen Labs
 Altogen Labs developed a technology that allows
the acceleration of this natural process. Scientists
were able to identify a hydrocarbon-degrading
bacterial population, including saturate degraders
and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degraders,
and optimize the growing process in the laboratory.
They developed a method of cultivation of oil-
degrading bacteria that are specific to the site of a
particular spill - microbes that act on the
hydrocarbon molecules that are present at the site
of the pollution.

45. Application
 The remarkable feature of this development is that bacteria can
be expanded in large aqueous volumes and then the water can
be evaporated to store high concentrations of bacteria in dry
form and low volume.The product is very stable, and dry,
natural bacteria can be activated by the addition of water.The
growth conditions of these natural bacteria were optimized for
effective oil degradation inTexas soil (including variations in
temperature and soil conditions, as well as a number of oil
compositions).
 Altogen Labs is actively working on further development of this
technology for both soil and water applications. However, the
current product development process is limited to laboratory
scale, and industrial-grade production and commercial product
launch will require additional scale-up work.The company is
now looking for collaborative opportunities to enable this large-
scale development project.

46. Application
 When a power plant is struck by
lightning, it is possible for small oil
leaks to occur.These leaks are often
difficult to detect, harm the
organisms in the vicinity and can
sometimes contaminate the ground
water.
 The transfected bacteria would
remove the oil from the ground
water, making it potable.The
released oil also has a lethal effect on
the nearby plants and animals; the
addition of this transfected bacterium
would prevent the death of organisms
and regain the health and safety of
the ecosystem.
(Tim)
Lightning over Salem Nuclear Power Plant in NJ