Claims
- 1. A method of degrading a pollutant, the method comprising treating the pollutant by supplying an alkane in the substantial absence of oxygen to stimulate the growth of anaerobic bacteria which degrade the pollutant.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkane comprises a butane substrate.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the butane substrate comprises at least about 10 weight percent butane.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the butane substrate comprises at least about 50 weight percent butane.
- 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the butane substrate comprises at least about 90 weight percent butane.
- 6. The method of claim 2, wherein the pollutant is treated in-situ at a contaminated site.
- 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising supplying the butane substrate to the contaminated site continuously.
- 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising supplying the butane substrate to the contaminated site periodically.
- 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising subsequently supplying oxygen-containing gas to the contaminated site to aerobically treat the contaminated site.
- 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising supplying the oxygen-containing gas to the contaminated site periodically.
- 11. The method of claim 6, further comprising supplying butane-utilizing bacteria to the contaminated site.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the butane-utilizing bacteria are non-indigenous to the contaminated site.
- 13. The method of claim 6, wherein the contaminated site comprises soil.
- 14. The method of claim 6, wherein the contaminated site comprises surface water.
- 15. The method of claim 6, wherein the contaminated site comprises groundwater.
- 16. The method of claim 6, wherein the contaminated site is below a ground surface.
- 17. The method of claim 6, wherein the contaminated site comprises a hydrocarbon pollutant.
- 18. The method of claim 6, wherein the contaminated site comprises at least one halogenated pollutant.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the halogenated pollutant comprises at least one compound having at least 4 halogen atoms.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the pollutant comprises tetrachloroethylene.
- 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the pollutant comprises carbon tetrachloride.
- 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the pollutant comprises methyl tertiary butyl ether.
- 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the pollutant comprises ethylene dibromide.
- 24. An anaerobic bioremediation system comprising:
means for supplying an alkane to a contaminated site in the substantial absence of oxygen to stimulate the growth of anaerobic bacteria which degrade a pollutant at the contaminated site.
- 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the alkane comprises a butane substrate.
- 26. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for subsequently supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the contaminated site to aerobically treat the contaminated site.
- 27. The system of claim 24, wherein the contaminated site comprises a hydrocarbon pollutant.
- 28. The system of claim 24, wherein the contaminated site comprises at least one halogenated pollutant.
- 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the halogenated pollutant comprises at least one compound having at least 4 halogen atoms.
- 30. The system of claim 24, wherein the pollutant comprises tetrachloroethylene.
- 31. The method of claim 24, wherein the pollutant comprises carbon tetrachloride.
- 32. The method of claim 24, wherein the pollutant comprises methyl tertiary butyl ether.
- 33. The method of claim 24, wherein the pollutant comprises ethylene dibromide.
- 34. An in-situ anaerobic bioremediation system comprising:
a source of an alkane; and at least one injector in flow communication with the source of the alkane.
- 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the alkane comprises a butane substrate.
- 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the butane substrate comprises at least about 10 weight percent butane.
- 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the butane substrate comprises at least about 50 weight percent butane.
- 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the butane substrate comprises at least about 90 weight percent butane.
- 39. The system of claim 34, further comprising:
a source of an oxygen-containing gas; and at least one injector in flow communication with the source of the oxygen-containing gas.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/275,320 filed Mar. 24, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/767,750 filed Dec. 17, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,396 issued Mar. 30, 1999, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/234,482 filed Sep. 22, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60234482 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09275320 |
Mar 1999 |
US |
Child |
09729039 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08767750 |
Dec 1996 |
US |
Child |
09275320 |
Mar 1999 |
US |