Bioremediation of a No. 6 fuel spill

Although it is widely recognized that the major constituents of petroleum are highly biodegradable, the natural or unenhanced rate can be extremely slow. This is best exemplified by the petroleum reserves which have existed for million of years without substantial biodegradation due exclusively to nutrient limitations. The limiting nutrients include oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and trace elements. The enhancement of the biodegradation process is termed bioremediation and consists of adding these nutrients in a prescribed and defined manner to soil and aquifers. Laboratory biodegradation tests are conducted prior to pilot- or full-scale remedial action to ensure the feasibility of the process. Depending on the comparability between the laboratory test and the field application, the data generated from the laboratory scale test can be used for purposes of field design and for prediction of the rate of biodegradation under field conditions. It is a critical assumption in the remediation industry that a laboratory treatment simulation does indeed simulate the field process and predicts the results of the full-scale remediation. This paper provides evidence that a laboratory scale treatment simulation can indeed predict field results