Abstract: A biochemical process system and apparatus for removal of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), volatile inorganic compounds (VICs), heavy metals, and surfactants from contaminated soil, liquid and gas streams, by means of combined washing, pH adjustment, biochemical reaction, gas stripping, scrubbing, adsorption and regeneration is described. This process system involves soil washing with surfactant, soil-water separation, liquid pumping; liquid treatment using an enclosed gas stripping bioreactor and dissolved air flotation technology; gas purification using a foam collector, a wet scrubber and a self-regenerative gas-phase granular activated carbon (GAC) contactor; and recycling of GAC-purified gas for further liquid treatment by gas stripping and biochemical reactions. The process system is extremely cost-effective for removal of both volatile and nonvolatile pollutants from a contaminated site and eliminates the problem of secondary gas contamination caused by conventional air stripping towers.

Abstract: A process system for removal of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated groundwater is described. This process system involves groundwater pumping, groundwater treatment by air stripping in an enclosed sparging aeration chamber, air purification by granular activated carbon contactor, and recycling of GAC-purified air for further groundwater treatment by air stripping. The process system is cost-effective and eliminates the problem of secondary air contamination caused by conventional air stripping process.