New technologies for environmental restoration

Estimates for cleaning up contamination at US Department of Energy (DOE) sites have ranged from $100 billion to $200 billion. The DOE does not support these estimates since they are based on existing remediation technologies. Instead, the department has established an aggressive program of technology development to perform research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation to provide new remediation technologies. Initial activities within the Office of Technology Development have focused on (a) establishing the means to identify and prioritize needed technology development activities, (b) aggressively using all internal and external resources to find solutions to the department's problems, and (c) rapidly transferring these solutions to the environmental restoration program. A technology area that appears particularly promising for cost and risk reduction is bioremediation. Biotechnologies are available, or will be available in the near term, that may support the environmental restoration program. These include the following: (1) biological degradation of hydrocarbons; (2) biodegradation of low-molecular-weight halocarbons; (3) in situ destruction of explosives, nitrates, or sulfates; and concentration or removal of inorganics. In addition, other biotechnologies may also be applicable, but require longer time for development and application