Method for treating reducible compound residues using iron-containing bioreactor

A method for removing explosive compounds from contaminated surface water using a bioreactor, said bioreactor located either on-ground or in-ground at a location across which said contaminated surface water flows, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an iron-containing bioreactor with anaerobic zones, said bioreactor comprising (i) indigenous microbes, (ii) acetate (iii) low density iron in a low density iron-containing bed, and (iv) an anaerobic zone in at least one portion of the location across which said contaminated surface water flows;
• (b) providing a flow of said contaminated surface water into said bioreactor, (c) contacting said explosive compounds with said low density iron whereby said low density iron is reduced,
• (d) contacting said reduced iron with said indigenous microbes whereby said reduced iron is oxidized, and
• (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) such that a concentration of said explosive compounds is lowered to below 10 ppb in treated surface water, and wherein an explosive compound reduction level to below 10 ppb in treated surface water is maintained for a period of at least one year without replenishing said indigenous microbes or low density iron.