Technological solutions for remediation of contaminated sites.
The use of multiple technologies (combined or treatment trains) consists of the combined or sequential use of remediation technologies to improve overall efficiency and results at a lower cost than the use of a single technology. This approach is recommended in locations that are difficult to remediate due to the combination of contaminants, recalcitrance or hydrogeological characteristics. Thus remediation professionals can combine biological, chemical, and physical remedies to treat a wide range of site conditions and contaminant concentrations taking advantage of the strengths of each technology.
In pollutant discharges, the focus area is usually distinguished where there are high concentrations of pollutants and a dissolved pollutant plume with a concentration gradient in groundwater or in the gaseous state of the soil (soil vapor).
For example, in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is an effective and proven approach to treating source areas characterized by high concentrations of contaminants in groundwater, absorbed contaminant mass, and potential for residual free product. However, ISCO becomes less profitable in low concentration areas where pollutants are mostly dissolved and more widely dispersed. As a result, other approaches such as biostimulation are often more effective in areas characterized by low levels of pollutants.
