Abstract: This invention relates to a method for sterilizing microorganisms and/or decomposing organic and inorganic pollutants in ground soil and ground water by means of a specified direct current applied between at least one pair of electrodes incorporated into the ground soil. For decomposition of the organic and inorganic pollutants, soil particles of the contaminated ground soil are polarized by a voltage applied to the electrodes, or already polarized soil particles are additionally polarized by the applied artificial electric field. The applied electric field is preferably aligned with the natural electric field of the soil particles. The increased polarization of the soil particles causes processes of cathodic reduction at the negatively charged interfaces of the soil particles and simultaneously causes processes of anodic oxidation at the positively charged interfaces of the soil particles.

Abstract: A method of removing harmful substances, particularly in the region of the earth's surface, wherewith an electrical voltage is applied to electrodes introduced into the soil. To remove the harmful substances, an electric field is established in situ by the electrical voltage, the intensity of which field is so great that harmful substances which are not electrokinetically transportable are broken up and/or degraded in place.