Method of using pulsed ozone to treat soils containing organic contaminants
OwnerRichard A. Brown, James Lute +3inventors
InventorsRichard A. Brown, James Lute, Dave Robinson, George Skladany, Christopher Nelson
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Abstract
A method of treating a solid matrix containing organic contaminants is provided. The method comprises the steps of a) injecting ozone into the solid matrix for a period of time known as the pulse duration; b) interrupting the injection of ozone into the solid matrix for a period of time known as the gap duration; and c) repeating step a) at least one additional time. Gap durations of from about 2 hours to about 48 hours are disclosed. Pulse durations of from about 0.25 hours to about 8 hours are also disclosed. Recalcitrant organic contaminants are treated.
Claims29
A method of treating a solid matrix containing organic contaminants comprising the steps of
- a) injecting ozone into the solid matrix for a period of time known as the pulse duration;
- b) interrupting the injection of the ozone into the solid matrix for a period of time known as the gap duration;
- and
- repeating step a) at least one additional time.
An in situ method of treating soil containing recalcitrant organic contaminants comprising the steps of
- a) injecting ozone into the soil, in situ, for a period of time known as the pulse duration;
- b) interrupting the injection of the ozone into the soil for a period of time known as the gap duration;
- and
- sequentially repeating steps a) and b) until a substantial amount of the organic contaminants has been destroyed.
A method of treating a solid matrix containing organic contaminants and bacteria capable of biodegrading the organic contaminant, comprising the steps of
- a) injecting ozone into the solid matrix for a period of time known as the pulse duration, the amount of ozone injected being insufficient to completely destroy the bacteria,
- b) interrupting the injection of ozone into the solid matrix for a period of time known as the gap duration, the gap duration being sufficiently long so as to allow the regeneration of the bacteria and the biodegradation of the organic contaminants;
- c) injecting air or oxygen into the solid matrix during the gap duration;
- and
- d) repeating steps a), b) and c) multiple times.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.