Technology Innovation News Survey

U.S. Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, Red Stone Arsenal, AL
Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov, Solicitation W9124P-22-R-0005, 2022

This is an 8(A) set-aside under NAICS code 541620. The U.S. Army Garrison at Redstone Arsenal's Environmental Management Division requires contract support for specialized technical and administrative services at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, or in the Huntsville, Alabama area. Non-inherently governmental support functions include environmental restoration consultants, specialized scientists, database managers and analysts, geographic information systems technicians, and engineering and biological technical support. These services will perform a wide variety of tasks supporting public works, engineering, planning, installation, and mission sustainment on Redstone Arsenal. Work will include the cleanup and remediation of hazardous materials spill occurrences. The contract's period of performance includes a base year plus four option years, with a start date anticipated in July 2022. Offers are due by 4:00 PM CST on February 4, 2022. https://sam.gov/opp/a3522e233eaa486bb437e6bda96f187c/view

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Vicksburg, MS.
Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov, Solicitation W912HZ-21-BAA-01, 2021

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center is responsible for conducting research in the broad fields of hydraulics, dredging, coastal engineering, instrumentation, oceanography, remote sensing, geotechnical engineering, earthquake engineering, soil effects, vehicle mobility, self-contained munitions, military engineering, geophysics, pavements, protective structures, aquatic plants, water quality, dredged material, treatment of hazardous waste, wetlands, physical/ mechanical/ chemical properties of snow and other frozen precipitation, infrastructure and environmental issues for installations, computer science, telecommunications management, energy, facilities maintenance, materials and structures, engineering processes, environmental processes, land and heritage conservation, and ecological processes. The BAA is available at http://erdc.usace.army.mil and as an attachment at beta.sam. The BAA is open until February 28, 2022, or until superseded by another announcement. Proposals can be submitted electronically at any time. https://sam.gov/opp/58dc714ff81b4c7a85b1138e801c42c3/view

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (U.S. ACE), North Atlantic Division, New York, NY
Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov, Solicitation W912DS22B0005, 2022

When the solicitation is released, it will be competed as a full and open competition under NAICS code 541380. The U.S. ACE New York District intends to issue a solicitation package for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the Chemical Testing of Dredged Material. Work will involve sampling and testing dredged material following procedures described in the 2016 U.S. ACE NY District/EPA Region 2 Guidance for Performing Tests on Dredged Material Proposed for Ocean Disposal. There will be additional work for sampling and testing of dredged material proposed for upland placement following the procedures described in the October 1997 NJ Department of Environmental Protection technical manual "The Management and Regulation of Dredging Activities and Dredged Material in New Jersey's Tidal Waters." and in the November 2004, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation manual "Technical & Operational Guidance Series 5.1.9 In-Water and Riparian Management of Sediment and Dredged Material," including subsequent updates to these two documents. Task orders are anticipated to include all or some of the following: sediment and water collection (on contractor supplied ship); sample handling, processing, and shipping; physical and chemical analyses (e.g., sediment, water, and tissue analyses); QA/QC procedures, and necessary corrective actions. Reports containing the sampling logs, all testing results, and QA/QC information in a format required by the NY District Corps of Engineers would have to be provided by the contractor for each task order. All sampling would be performed within the Port of New NY & NJ, all Federal Navigation Channels within NY District, the length of the Hudson River, and in the Atlantic Ocean at the Historical Area Remediation Site and its Mud Dump Reference Site. The contract is expected to have a base year with four option years and a magnitude between $5 Million and $10 Million with up to $2,000,000 for the base year and up to $1,500,000 for each of the four option years. https://sam.gov/opp/68c696362d46426f99e4b202ddec1314/view

The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic Command, Norfolk, VA
Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov, Solicitation N4008521R2534, 2022

This is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) set aside under NAICS code 562910. NAVFAC requires environmental services and the implementation of remedial actions at environmentally contaminated sites predominately located at Naval Station Great Lakes in Great Lakes, Illinois, and Naval Support Activity Crane, Indiana, as well as Navy and Marine Corps active duty and reserve facilities throughout the United States and U. S. Territories within the NAVFAC Atlantic Area of Responsibility. The services provided under this procurement will consist of sites regulated under CERCLA, RCRA, Underground Storage Tanks, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Natural Resources, and other environmental programs, which might require corrective action, mitigation, sampling, inspection programs, studies, or remedial action. This contract focuses primarily on environmental services and environmental studies but could involve other environmental work such as compliance projects. The award will be an Environmental Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods and a maximum not to exceed dollar value of $30 million. Task Orders will be competed for actual work projects as the need arises. The task order range will be between $50,000.00 and $250,000.00. Offers are due by 2:00 PM EST on February 28, 2022. https://sam.gov/opp/d99707b8908e4c8fa836c8cf18b0cce6/view

Amrhein, K. ǀ The Remplex Virtual Global Summit, 8-12 November, virtual, 2021

The Central Plateau on DOE's Hanford Site presents several remedial challenges, including shallow contaminant sources; persistent and recalcitrant deep vadose zone residual sources; large-scale comingled groundwater plumes with significant uncertainty in plume distribution and total mass in the aquifer; and subsurface heterogeneity that affect plume distribution, remedy design and the impact on contaminant fate and transport. A Record of Decision (ROD) for a groundwater operable unit identified pump-and-treat (P&T) in combination with MNA and flow-path control to achieve cleanup levels within 125 years. New information emerged impacting the technical assumptions used to support the final ROD for the OU, including updated estimates of the abiotic degradation rate for carbon tetrachloride and improved understanding of carbon tetrachloride mass and distribution, indicating that the total mass is greater than the baseline estimate and a greater portion resides in a deeper, less transmissive aquifer. Findings resulted in unfavorable conditions for attaining the remedial action objectives within the 125-yr timeframe. A remedy optimization study was initiated to evaluate increased removal and treatment capacity for carbon tetrachloride within the P&T system and a transition to MNA for nitrate treatment to support optimization efforts. The presentation includes information associated with the optimization study in the context of broader Central Plateau cleanup challenges. See times 1:00:00 to 1:22:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1KidwFjsuA&t=3555s

DOE, 348 pp, 2021

Chlorinated solvents impacted groundwater from onsite activities during Building 100 Area operation, a former DOE facility that is now an active business park. To prevent disrupting owner operations, DOE installed four stacked pairs of horizontal injection wells beneath the building to remediate groundwater via bioinjection in the interpreted source areas using emulsified vegetable oil and Dehalococcoides mccartyi. Three bioinjection events were conducted into horizontal wells between November 2015 and October 2019. Four bioinjection events using temporary vertical injections points were also conducted into downgradient dissolved-phase groundwater contaminant plumes. Actions resulted in significant contaminant reduction in on-site and off-site monitoring wells. Only 1,4-dioxane, TCE, cDCE, and vinyl chloride VC were detected above their respective cleanup target levels. DOE anticipates continued degradation and decreasing TCE, cDCE, and VC concentrations. DOE is pursuing a conditional closure of the Building 100 Area under Florida's risk-based corrective action rules, pending implementation of restrictive covenants. https://lmpublicsearch.lm.doe.gov/lmsites/n02365_bldg_100_annual%20jun2020-may2021.pdf
See remediation seminar presentation for further information on the project: https://www.remediationseminar.com/images/presentations/DTD.pdf

Geosyntec Consultants for Hercules, LLC, 153 pp, 2021

In situ bioremediation was selected as an interim corrective action to address environmental concerns at an industrial facility in Brunswick, GA. The interim corrective measures (ICM) will utilize a biologically active permeable reactive barrier to reduce the mass flux and concentrations of methylene chloride, chloroform, and other constituents of potential concern (COPCs) in the deep groundwater zone of the upper surficial aquifer. The ICM may be extended to other areas based on performance and ongoing site investigation activities. Emulsified vegetable oil and KB-1® Plus will be injected into the deep zone of the upper surficial aquifer. An amendment will also be mixed with the bioaugmentation culture, and food-grade sodium bicarbonate will be used to adjust the pH of the groundwater in the treatment zone as needed. The injection well network will be installed perpendicular to the natural groundwater flow path. As impacted groundwater flows through this zone of enhanced biological activity, COPCs will be biologically degraded and destroyed. The amendments are expected to create a zone of enhanced biological activity around the injection wells. Groundwater will be monitored before, during, and after biobarrier injection to assess changes in chloroform and methylene chloride concentrations in the area of the biobarrier. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fb691a6a38df42794d9b9ba/t/616f3e0ba8631e14eb49fae3/1634680341510/2021-09-22+Brunswick+-+Anaerobic+Biobarrier+ICM+Work+Plan_rev1.pdf
For all site documents, see https://www.herculesbrunswick.com/library

Hager, R. ǀ The 9th International Symposium and Exhibition on the Redevelopment of Manufactured Gas Plant Sites, 17-19 November, Orlando, abstract only, 2021

Oversight of remedial activities was performed in 2020 at a former manufactured gas plant in Illinois. In-situ solidification/stabilization (ISS) was selected to address NAPL, VOCs, SVOCs, and inorganics in soil and groundwater. The scheduled start of ISS activities corresponded with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. After evaluating potential risks, remedial activities were implemented during the pandemic. Special planning and methodology adjustments were required to continue work and complete large-scale ISS activities amid pandemic-related restrictions/limitations. All on-site workers followed CDC and client-specific COVID-19 guidelines. Enacted guidelines established a protocol that was followed and enforced daily to protect workers and site visitors and were updated throughout the project, as appropriate. Changes were incorporated into the schedule to allow for material and shipping delays and the potential for labor shortages. Good communication with the local labor union provided sufficient labor and the ability to replace quarantined workers during the project. Travel restrictions required planning for essential personnel traveling to the site from other areas and travel during holidays. Teamwork, excellent communication, comprehensive guidelines, and respect for each other's individual concerns allowed for successful completion of the project.

Mackley, R.D., J.M. Torgeson, J.L. Robinson., N. Qafoku, M. Rockhold, and J. Thomle. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory PNNL-32103 Rev 0, DVZ-RPT-075 Rev 0, 64 pp, 2021

Potential groundwater tracer tests were evaluated in the uppermost Ringold Formation member (RUM) of the Wooded Island upper mud unit aquifer in the 100-H Area of the Hanford Site to evaluate P&T operations and remedial performance. The results from field electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) investigations, numerical flow, and transport (F&T) modeling, coupled ERT-F&T model simulations, and laboratory resin experiments provided the technical basis to evaluate tracer test scenarios that minimize impacts to the 100-HX pump and treat (HX P&T) operations and maximize acquisition of hydrologic data, including the use of advanced surface geophysical techniques for monitoring tracer transport. A convergent flow tracer test was used since it can be performed with minimal impact on P&T operations and remedial performance. Scenarios were evaluated for a pulsed tracer injection at varying concentrations and volumes in a well located within the hydraulic capture zone of an existing P&T extraction well. Site-specific groundwater F&T simulations of the injection, transport and capture of a bromide tracer were performed over a range of KBr injection concentrations and volumes. The potential for bromide to interfere with Cr(VI) removal with the SIR-700 ion exchange resin in the HX P&T was also evaluated with a series of laboratory batch and 1D flow column experiments. Given the potential for high bromide concentrations to interfere with the resin performance, a tracer test involving injecting 10,000 gals of 10 g/L bromide solution is recommended, with subsequent capture of the tracer using an extraction well. While simulation results suggested that ERT imaging may be limited in its ability to spatially resolve tracer transport at a lower injection volume and concentration, field surveys may perform better than predicted by simulation. Using ERT to provide another line of evidence in the quantitative tracer test analysis with minimal cost and schedule impacts associated with an autonomous ERT survey is recommended. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1832177

Guerra, P., A. Bauer, R.A. Reiss, and J. McCord. ǀ Applied Sciences 11:10005(2021)

Pilot testing was conducted in the source zone and hotspot areas of groundwater plumes contaminated with TCE, DCE's isomers, and VC extending over three hydrostratigraphic units at the North Railroad Avenue Superfund Site to select an enhanced reductive dichlorination (ERD) treatment formulation (dose and dosing frequency). Pilot testing was used to refine the site's hydrogeologic conceptual site model and design parameters. Four test cells containing well pairs of injection and downgradient extraction wells were used to test ethyl lactate, dairy whey, emulsified vegetable oil (EVO), and a combination of EVO and a hydrogen gas infusion as bio-amendment formulations. Bromide was added to the recirculation flow to record tracer breakthrough, peak, and dissipation at extraction wells. Results were used to reassess the hydraulic conductivity and hydrodynamic dispersity used in the remedial design. Groundwater samples were analyzed for biological analyses before, during, and after bioamendment addition. Analyses of phospholipid fatty acids and DNA extracts from fresh groundwater samples informed decisions on the capacity for complete ERD without DCE stalling and tracked the shifts in the bacterial and archaeal taxonomy and phylogeny stemming from bioamendment addition. EVO was the most suitable bioamendment based on support of the native microbial consortia for ERD, mechanics and hydraulics of the remediation system, and sustainability/retention of the substrate in the subsurface. Adding a nutrient broth derived from brewery waste accelerated and sustained the desired conditions, microbial diversity, and population levels. Results were also used to assess the utilization kinetics of the injected substrates based on total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations measured in the groundwater. A full-scale treatment dosing and dose frequency were designed around a TOC threshold of 300 mg/L, assuming the maximum substrate utilization would yield optimum ERD. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/21/10005/pdf

Strickland, C., H. Knox, T. Johnson, B. Roberts, V. Vermeul, M. Truex, and V. Freedman.
WM2020: Annual Waste Management Conference, 8-12 March, Phoenix, AZ, 17 slides, 2020

A vadose zone monitoring testbed was initiated to address challenges and identify cost-effective approaches for implementation and post-closure monitoring of the deep vadose zone (~100-meter-thick) in the Central Plateau at the Hanford Superfund Site. A large inventory of contaminants resides in unsaturated sediments within the vadose zone, posing a potential continuing risk to groundwater. Vadose zone remedies will require performance monitoring to provide feedback during implementation and for long-term verification that remedial action objectives have been met. The monitoring testbed is expected to provide valuable field-scale information for designing vadose zone monitoring systems.
Slides: https://s3.amazonaws.com/amz.xcdsystem.com/A464D2CF-E476-F46B-841E415B85C431CC_abstract_File500/PresentationPDF_20404_0326051602.pdf
Paper: https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/media/file/FieldTestBedForVadose-ZoneMonitoringApproaches.pdf

Barnes, N., F. Fortes, and S. Folsom. Florida Department of Environmental Protection Waste Site Cleanup Program, 24 pp, 2021

A pilot study was commissioned to conduct background research, field investigations of environmental media, and analysis of waste stream components for PFAS to evaluate the relationship of PFAS occurrence at drycleaning facilities in the Florida Drycleaning Solvent Cleanup Program. The study, completed over 26 months, found PFAS in soil and groundwater above provisional cleanup target levels at 10 of the 15 pilot study sites. The drycleaners appeared to be the source of PFAS. Data indicates PFAS likely leached from fabrics during the dry cleaning and/or wet laundering activities. This white paper summarizes the scientific research, investigative techniques, interpretations of results, and lessons learned from the study. https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/White_Paper_PFAS_Investigation_Florida_Drycleaning_Sites_Sept2021.pdf

Hearon, S.E., A.A. Orr, H. Moyer, M.C. Wang, P. Tamamis, and T.D. Phillips.
Environmental Research 205:112433(2022)

Montmorillonite clay was amended with carnitine and choline to increase the hydrophobicity of the sorbent and the interlayer spacing and reduce the bioavailability of PFAS in soil. The study characterized the binding of PFOA and PFOS to parent and amended clays. Isothermal analyses were conducted at pH 7 and ambient temperature to simulate environmentally relevant conditions. The data for all tested sorbents indicated saturable binding sites with high capacities and affinities under neutral conditions. Amended montmorillonite clays had increased capacities for PFOA and PFOS (0.51-0.71 mol/kg) compared to the parent clay (0.37-0.49 mol/kg). Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions at the terminal fluorinated carbon chains of PFAS compounds were major modes of surface interaction. The safety and efficacy of the clays were confirmed in Lemna minor, where clays (at 0.1% inclusion) allowed for increased growth compared to PFOA and PFOS controls. Soil studies showed that 2% sorbent inclusion could significantly reduce PFAS bioavailability from soil (≤74%). Studies in plants demonstrated that adding 2% sorbent significantly reduced PFAS residues in cucumber plants. Results suggest that nutrient-amended clays can be added to soil to decrease PFAS bioavailability and translocation of PFAS to plants.

Telesinski1, A. and A. Kiepas-Kokot. ǀ International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18:2265(2021)

A study assessed concentrations of phenols and PAHs following enhanced natural attenuation (ENA) at an industrial waste area where coal tar was processed. Soil in the investigation area was formed from a layer of uncompacted fill. Twelve sampling points were established to collect soil samples. A previous study did not detect heavy metals, BTEX, or cyanide concentrations though PAHs and phenols were detected at concentrations higher than permitted by Polish norms. Repeated analyses of phenols and PAHs were conducted in 2020 to determine ENA effectiveness. Results showed that ENA efficiently degraded phenols and naphthalene; concentrations were not elevated compared to the standards for industrial waste areas. The three- and four-ring hydrocarbons were degraded at a lower intensity. Based on the mean decrease in content following five years of ENA, the compounds can be arranged in the following order: phenols > naphthalene > phenanthrene > fluoranthene > benzo(a)anthracene > chrysene > anthracene. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7967680/pdf/ijerph-18-02265.pdf

Kabiri, S. and M.J. McLaughlin. ǀ Science of The Total Environment 766:144718(2021)

The persistence of PFAS binding to RemBind®, including repeated leaching and the effects of competing ions and temperature extremes, were investigated in this study. EPA's Multiple Extraction Procedure and Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework were applied to quantify desorption of PFASs from remediated and unremediated soil. Results provide a high confidence level that PFASs binding by RemBind® is persistent in the long term, though simulations should be validated under field conditions for at least several years.

Fischer, J.L., E.F. Roseman, C. Mayer, T. Wills, L. Vaccaro, J. Read, B. Manny, G. Kennedy, R. Ellison, R. Drouin, R.L. DeBruyne, A. Cotel, J. Chiotti, J. Boase, and D. Bennion.
Restoration Ecology 29(4):e13359(2021)

A framework was developed to evaluate regulatory, ecological, and hydrogeomorphic components of habitat construction using 15 years of fish spawning habitat creation in the St. Clair-Detroit River System. Regulatory requirements were first identified at a coarse resolution to focus on locations where ecological potential and hydrogeomorphic constraints could be assessed at finer resolutions. The ecological potential was assessed using a lithophilic fish spawning habitat suitability index, which identified five sites for habitat construction and lake sturgeon spawning following construction. Qualitative monitoring showed fine sediments accumulated at older sites. Geomorphic assessments were conducted after broad-scale regulatory considerations, and ecological assessments narrowed the focus to identify sediment sources and model flow within targeted areas. The order of operations evolved from the iterative approach of the restoration team and helped develop a framework that directed project development resources to aspects with more uncertainty.

Gudavalli, R., H. Emerson, S. Garcia, H.l Gonzalez Raymat , Y. Katsenovich, and L. Lagos.
WM2020: Annual Waste Management Conference, 8-12 March, Phoenix, AZ, poster, 2020

study was conducted to determine how the interactions between radionuclides, natural organic matter (NOM), and nitrate affect the fate of I-129, Tc-99, and U and which processes control their behavior. Three unlined seepage basins in the F-Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS) received ~1.8 billion gals of low-level waste containing nitric acid, radionuclides, and dissolved metals from plutonium and tritium production operations. The acidic nature of the waste created a source of U, Tc-99, and I-129, that moves with groundwater towards Four Mile Branch Wetland and subsequently upwells and interacts with NOM. Experiments were conducted at variable pH in the presence of NaNO₃ to determine the impact of light and pH on NOM degradation and to evaluate the impact on the fate of contaminants of concern. Soil samples high in NOM collected from the SRS and the Everglades were studied. In batch experiments with NOM, U, I-129, and Tc-99 were exposed to UV light in an environmental chamber. This study was conducted in a sterile environment to exclude the potential for microbial degradation of organic matter. Results indicated photodegradation of NOM and significant interaction of radionuclides with NOM.
Poster: http://amz.xcdsystem.com/A464D2CF-E476-F46B-841E415B85C431CC_abstract_File560/Poster_20230_0303102204.pdf
Paper: https://s3.amazonaws.com/amz.xcdsystem.com/A464D2CF-E476-F46B-841E415B85C431CC_abstract_File498/FinalPaper_20230_0118085932.pdf

Rovero, M., D. Cutt, R. Griffiths, U. Filipowicz, K. Mishkin, B. White, S. Goodrow, and R.T. Wilkin.
Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation 41(4):62-75(2021)

A review of published literature was conducted on reported sorption coefficients (K_d) of eight anionic PFAS in soil to predict groundwater vulnerability from PFAS contamination in the vadose zone. Results indicated that no single K_d value would be appropriate to estimate PFAS impacts to groundwater using existing soil-water partition equations. Regression analysis determined that none of the 15 experimental parameters collected could individually explain variability in reported Kd values. The study found significant associations between K_d, soil calcium, and sodium content for many of the selected PFAS, suggesting that soil cation content may be critical to PFAS sorption. Organic carbon content was significant only at levels >5%. Unexplained discrepancies between the results from studies where PFAS were introduced to soil and desorbed in the laboratory and those that used material from PFAS-impacted sites suggest that lab experiments may be overlooking some aspects critical to PFAS sorption.

Almnehlawi, H.S., R.K. Dean, S.L. Capozzi, L.A. Rodenburg, G.J. Zylstra, and D.E. Fennell.
Bioremediation Journal 25(3):204-224(2021)

Surficial Passaic River sediments were enriched under aerobic conditions, and bacterial strains PR1, PR2, and PR3 were isolated using dibenzofuran (DF) as a model substrate to assess degradation of chlorinated chlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs). Chlorinated CDDs in the Passaic River are dechlorinated by anaerobic bacteria, producing lightly- or non-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (DD) daughter products. Janibacter PR1 grew more rapidly on DF than PR2 and PR3. PR2 and PR3 degraded DD and 2-monochlorodibenzo-p-dioxin at similar rates. Neither PR2 nor PR3 transformed 2,7-dichlodibenzo-p-dioxin. An angular dioxygenase that was 99.7% identical to that in Terrabacter sp. DBF63 was detected by PCR in PR1 and PR2 but not in PR3. Results indicated the bacteria could enable an in situ treatment process that completely removes all CDDs from sediment.

Thomas, D.J. ǀ Toxicology 457:152800(2021)

This report summarizes the increase in knowledge of arsenic biomethylation between 1990 and 2020 and considers the prospects for new discoveries. The current understanding of the role of methylation as a modifier of kinetic and dynamic behaviors of arsenic is the product of research at molecular, cellular, organismic, and population levels. This information provides a basis to refine estimates of risk associated with long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic in environmental media, food, and water.

Sui, X., X. Wang, Y. Li, and H. Ji. ǀ Sustainability 13:9267(2021)

This review compares the degradation abilities of microbial-physical, chemical, and other combined remediation methods and highlights the degradation capabilities and processes of microbe-biochar, microbe-nutrition, and microbe-plant technologies. The comparison helps to evaluate and forecast the chemical behavior of contaminants with short- and long-term consequences. The article also discusses sources and quantities of petroleum pollutants and their impacts on soil, plants, and humans. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/9267/pdf

Office of Land and Emergency Management, EPA 542-F-21-028, 4 pp, 2021

EPA's Principles for Greener Cleanups outlines the Agency's policy to evaluate and minimize the environmental 'footprint' of activities undertaken when cleaning up a contaminated site. Use of the best management practices (BMPs) recommended in EPA's series of green remediation fact sheets can help project managers and other stakeholders apply the principles on a routine basis while maintaining the cleanup objectives, ensuring protectiveness of a remedy, and improving environmental outcomes. https://clu-in.org/greenremediation/docs/gr_factsheet_biorem_32410.pdf

Tucci, M., C.C. Viggi, A.E. Nunez, A. Schievano, K. Rabaey, F. Aulenta.
Chemical Engineering Journal 419:130008(2021

This critical review analyzed the recent scientific literature concerning electrobioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH)-contaminated soil to understand the impact of key process parameters and environmental conditions on overall remediation performance. Analysis revealed that microbial electrochemical technology (MET) -based soil electrobioremediation has been successfully applied to remove a variety of PHs from soil displaying a broad range of electric conductivities using different system configurations. The limited radius-of-influence of electrodes buried in contaminated soil ( typically < 50 cm) appears to be a limiting factor that requires specific strategies to address. The review also highlights the need for pilot-scale testing to confirm the results obtained at lab-scale under more controlled conditions to catalyze the commercial and societal interest towards this novel technology.

Wainwright, H. ǀ The Remplex Virtual Global Summit, 8-12 November, virtual, 19 minutes, 2021

DOE's Office of Environmental Management ALTEMIS project seeks to establish the new paradigm of long-term monitoring based on state-of-art technologies, such as in situ groundwater sensors, geophysics, drone/satellite-based remote sensing, reactive transport modeling, and AI, to improve effectiveness and robustness while reducing overall cost. The project focuses on (1) spatially integrative technologies for monitoring system vulnerabilities - surface cap systems and groundwater/surface water interfaces using geophysics, UAV and distributed sensors; (2) in situ in-well sensor technologies to monitor master variables that control or are associated with contaminant plume mobility and direction; (3) open-source Python for Long-term Environmental Monitoring machine learning framework for spatiotemporal interpolations and monitoring design optimization; and (4) high-performance computing-based contaminant transport modeling to evaluate monitoring designs and climate vulnerability/resilience. The system transforms the monitoring paradigm from reactive monitoring (respond after plume anomalies are detected) to proactive monitoring (detect the changes associated with the plume mobility before concentration anomalies occur). In addition, through the open-source package, ALTEMIS aims to improve the transparency of data analytics at contaminated sites, to empower concerned citizens and improve public relationships. View a copy of the recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59amzRhg0eg
More information on ALTEMIS: https://altemis.lbl.gov/