# US 5,700,685 A · System to reduce sediment toxicity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,700,685 A - Document ID: US5700685A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/562,856 - Filed: 1995-11-27 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1993-07-01 - Assignees: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of the Environment - Inventors: Thomas Murphy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5700685A ## CPC - B09C 1/10: microbiologically, {biologically} or by using enzymes - B09C 1/00: Reclamation of contaminated soil - C05F 17/80: Separation, elimination or disposal of harmful substances during the treatment - Y02P 20/145: the feedstock being materials of biological origin - Y02W 30/40: Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse - Y10S 210/916: Odor, e.g. including control or abatement - B09C: RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL (gatherers for removing stone or the like from the soil A01B43/00; sterilising soil by steam A01G11/00; removing undesirable matter, e.g. rubbish, from the land E01H15/00) - C05F: ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method and apparatus for the treatment of sediment. The apparatus provides a plurality of injection sites for injecting a biochemical oxidant into the sediment. The oxidant is useful for oxidizing a bacterial growth inhibitor to a non-inhibiting form thus permitting bacterial growth and thus greater numbers for sediment detoxification. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of effecting natural microbial biodegradation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment containing microbes and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons and microbial toxin inhibiting biodegradation, comprising the steps of: providing a biochemical oxidant selected from the group comprising ferric chloride and calcium nitrate for detoxifying a microbial toxin produced during microbial biodegradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons without inactivating the microbes; contacting said sediment with said oxidant to detoxify said toxin; and effecting enhanced microbial biodegradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the contacting step is a reaction step. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said oxidant comprises calcium nitrate. ### Claim 4 A method of effecting natural microbial biodegradation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment containing microbes and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons and microbial toxin inhibiting biodegradation, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a biochemical oxidant selected from the group comprising ferric chloride and calcium nitrate for detoxifying a microbial toxin produced during microbial biodegradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons without inactivating the microbes; providing a nutrifying organic amendment for nutrifying microbes; injecting said sediment with said amendment and oxidant to detoxify said toxin with minimal disruption of said sediment while nutrifying said microbes; and effecting enhanced microbial biodegradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the contacting step is a reaction step. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the step of contacting said sediment with said oxidant to detoxify said toxin includes contacting said sediment in a first contacting step with said oxidant at a first level therein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said step further includes the step of contacting said sediment in a second contacting step with said oxidant at least at a second level in said sediment, said second level being different from said first level and effecting said natural microbial biodegradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as defined in claim 7, wherein said oxidant comprises calcium nitrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method as defined in claim 7, wherein said method is a continuous method. ### Claim 10 A method of effecting compaction of sediment containing microbes, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons and microbial toxin inhibiting biodegradation, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a biochemical oxidant selected from the group comprising ferric chloride and calcium nitrate for detoxifying a microbial toxin produced during microbial degradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons without inactivating the microbes; providing a fermentation by-product organic amendment; injecting said sediment with said oxidant and said by-product organic amendment with minimal disruption of said sediment; effecting enhanced microbial degradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons; and compacting said sediment by evolution of gaseous by-products evolved from contact of said oxidant and amendment with said sediment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as defined in claim 10, wherein said fermentation by-product amendment comprises a fungal organic amendment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method as defined in claim 10, wherein contact of said sediment with said oxidant is an oxidation step. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method as defined in claim 10, wherein said oxidant comprises calcium nitrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, wherein said fungal organic amendment comprises yeast. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said yeast is a viable yeast culture. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said yeast is a non-viable yeast culture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said yeast comprises brewer's yeast. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method as defined in claim 17, wherein said yeast has a moisture content. ### Claim 19 A method of effecting natural microbial biodegradation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment containing microbes and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons and microbial toxin inhibiting biodegradation, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a biochemical oxidant selected from the group comprising ferric chloride and calcium nitrate for detoxifying a microbial toxin produced during microbial biodegradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon and petroleum hydrocarbons without inactivating the microbes; providing a fermentation byproduct organic amendment; injecting within said sediment at, at least, one level with said oxidant and said organic amendment; and effecting enhanced microbial degradation of said polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method as defined in claim 19, wherein said organic amendment comprises a fungal organic amendment. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method as defined in claim 20, wherein said fungal organic amendment comprises yeast. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method as defined in claim 21, wherein said yeast is a viable yeast culture.