Abstract: The present invention provides a mixed bacterial culture, designated as the culture Atz Mix 1, which degrades atrazine at various temperatures (10° C. to 30° C.) in a wide range of atrazine concentrations (several ppb to ten thousand ppm), without formation of toxic metabolites. Atz Mix 1 is a stable mixed culture and includes catabolic genes trzN, atzB, atzC coding the enzymes for the degradation of atrazine to cyanuric acid, and the gene trzD coding the enzymes for subsequent opening of s-triazine ring. The invention further includes a microbiological method of degrading atrazine and other s-triazine compounds for remediation of atrazine-contaminated soils, even those rich in nitrogen, as well as for accelerating the process of atrazine mineralization in waste waters containing high concentrations of s-triazine compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing a contaminant from groundwater wherein it is not necessary for groundwater to be extracted from the soil. To that end, the process according to the invention comprises the following steps: a) a biologically active layer (2) is applied on or in the soil b) the contaminated groundwater is contacted with the biologically active layer (2). The contaminant is converted in the biologically active layer. The biologically active layer (2) may be applied discontinuously. The contaminated groundwater may be contacted with the biologically active layer with the aid of for example a gas.

Abstract: A filtering device for the removal of arsenic from the ground water/surface water. The filtering device of the present invention uses steel wool and sand as the raw material for the removal of arsenic from water and the entire outer body of the device can be made from cheaper material like plastic material or stainless steel. The filtering device works on the simple principle of co-precipitation of arsenic with metals, followed by adsorption and filtration through treated sand. The metal, steel wool, used in the device is a processed waste generated from a steel plant thereby making the device extremely cheaper and versatile. In the filtering device of the present invention, iron arsenate and iron arsenite are co-precipitated by the reaction of steel wool with arsenic in water. The device uses treated river sand simultaneously for the removal of iron leached out during reaction.

Abstract: A method for treating contaminates includes delivering a stream of a fluid to a directional microporous diffuser that has a sidewall with microscopic openings and has a partitioned interior region to effect discharge of microbubbles from less than the entire sidewall portion of the directional microporous diffuser at any particular interval of time. The directional microporous diffuser described include an elongated member providing the sidewall, the sidewall defining an interior portion of said member and coupled to the first inlet port and a partition member that divides the interior of the elongated member into plural, mutually isolated regions. End caps are disposed to seal ends of the directional microporous diffuser.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for decreasing the contents of metals, metalloids, nitrate and nitrite, respectively, in raw water flowing through a basin (1), whereby water containing either oxygen, oxygen-releasing substances, metabolic reactions of naturally occurring micro-organisms or containing denitrification organisms and/or substrates therefore is intermittently introduced to the basin (1) through a number of satellite wells (2) arranged around at least one extraction well (3) for purified water.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for hydrocarbon recovery and/or treatment of frac water includes introducing a volume of water into a formation, recovering the introduced water, with the recovered introduced water further comprising suspended hydrocarbon product. The recovered liquid is treated to remove substantial amounts of the suspended hydrocarbon product, provide the treated recovered liquid with a ORP in a range of 150 mv to 1000 mv, and partially desalinated, and is either re-introduced as treated recovered liquid with the ORP into a formation to assist in recovery of additional hydrocarbon deposits in the formation, or is stored to reduce the ORP and then subsequently discharged into surface waters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for water extraction and purification are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a system includes at least one water lifting unit that fluidly communicates with a groundwater source, and a gas generator that is fluidly coupled to the at least one water lifting unit to generate a gas that buoyantly moves water from the groundwater source to a water consumer.

Abstract: A new and improved in situ biogeochemical reactor, methods for constructing such reactors, and methods for using such reactors, for biodegradation, detoxification and mineralization of toxic organic and inorganic compounds, especially dioxins, in contaminated geologic settings, such as waterways is disclosed. The system includes both an anaerobic component and an aerobic component that are coupled to each other. The system is enriched with carbon, nutrients and growth factors in sufficient amounts to establish a full spectrum oxidation-reduction gradient thereby enabling, promoting and providing indigenous microbial populations to biodegrade, detoxify, and mineralize toxic organic and inorganic compounds in a contaminated geological site.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems including one or more trenches or wells that include one or more perforated pipes through which a gas, such as air, can be injected into the vadose zone of ground located beyond a methaneogenic source to create a positive-pressure gas curtain and/or aerobic conditions in the vadose zone that inhibits migration of and/or facilitate the remediation of mobile volatile organic compounds that are capable of contaminating groundwater surrounding the methaneogenic source.

Abstract: Provided is a method of easily manufacturing a solution-phase of zerovalent iron nanowires (INW), and more particularly, to a method of synthesizing zerovalent iron nanowires (INW) in which sodium boronhydride is added as a reducing agent to reduce ferrous sulfate mixed with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone). The present invention provides a simple and efficient method of synthesizing iron nanowires (INW) as one alternative to producing iron nanoparticles (INP). The INW manufactured by this method is very effective in removing groundwater contaminants such as arsenic, chrome (VI) and TCE. The highly reactive INW has great potential for producing an INW-based adsorbent for groundwater remediation.

Abstract: A system is installed in the subsurface to control the hydraulic gradient between the area within a containment system and the area outside the containment system, and provides an easy-to-maintain treatment system. Preferably, the treatment system includes a sufficiently sized conduit between the inside-area and the outside-area that is accessible via a manhole. This conduit can be filled with remedial material or other treatment equipment, the manhole-sized access providing a relatively easy means of providing, maintaining, and replacing this material and equipment. Because the conduit is appropriately sized, hydraulic pressures on either side of the open conduit can be expected to be substantially equal, thereby reducing the potential of leakage of contaminants caused by hydrostatic pressure. Gates and screens are provided on either side of the conduit, to facilitate flow control, with manhole accessways to facilitate maintenance of these gates and screens.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the removal of petroleum hydrocarbon and toxic constitutes from contaminated soils and sediment. The method comprises the removal of contaminated materials from soils and performs bioremediation for the removed contaminated materials in an efficient mode. The remained contaminated materials in the soils are biologically stabilized to allow microorganisms to grow and to consume the remained contaminated materials in the soils.

Abstract: A combination filtration and anti-microbial trench filter disposed in a pipe of a storm water system such that, in addition to removing hydrocarbon and liquid organic contaminants, the concentration of bacteria in storm water is severely reduced or eradicated. The trench filter comprises an elongated spine member, a plurality of flaps attached to the spine member and retaining anti-microbial agents, and rib members disposed in the flaps and extending radially from the spine member.

Abstract: A method for treating contaminates includes emitting plural streams of a fluid into a soil formation with the streams having different radii of influences in different directions. A direction microporous diffuser includes a holder member having plural compartments and plural hollow, elongated members having porous sidewalls, the plural hollow, elongated members supported in the plural compartments of the holder member with each hollow, elongated member including a an inlet port at a first end of the elongated member and second end of the elongated member being sealed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for water extraction and purification are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a system includes at least one water lifting unit that fluidly communicates with a groundwater source, and a gas generator that is fluidly coupled to the at least one water lifting unit to generate a gas that buoyantly moves water from the groundwater source to a water consumer.

Abstract: Methods for reducing the transport of contaminants in groundwater and methods for reducing the contamination of groundwater are disclosed. The methods may include adding a reagent to groundwater and contacting a contaminant with the reagent to form a precipitate and compiling the precipitate to form a barrier to groundwater flow. Systems for reducing the transport of contaminants in groundwater including an arrangement for adding a reagent to a groundwater flow path and a formed barrier comprising contaminant precipitate in the groundwater flow path are also disclosed.