SOIL BIOREMEDIATION PRODUCTS

ABASCO furnishes several product lines for use in remediating soils after an oil spill: Miracle Sorb, System E.T. 20 Nutrients and Microbes, and Denexol, a petroleum mitigator. These systems are described below. Contact ABASCO for further information and application guidance.

Miracle Sorb biodegradable sorbent mulch is an unequalled soil remediation product:

• Absorbs all hydrocarbon liquids, including oil, acetone, solvents, and paints
• Reduces hydrocarbons in contaminated soil by 60% per month
• Permanently encapsulates hydrocarbons
• Completely organic and biodegradable: can be left in place, disposed of in landfills, or incinerated (less than 5% ash), depending on applicable regulations
• Nontoxic: harmless to plants and animals
• Nonleaching, highly absorbent, encapsulates on contact
• Works on dry or swampy ground
• Easy application: no expensive equipment required
• Economical: typically use one 30-lb bag per cubic meter of contaminated soil.

Miracle Sorb is made from uncontaminated sugar cane bagasse (residue after sugar juice extraction), dried and fiberized to create a unique, porous structure that absorbs hydrocarbons quickly, effectively, and permanently. Naturally occurring nitrogen is added during the processing to enhance biodegradability.

Miracle Sorb NE is enriched with nitrogen for use in site remediation. The added nitrogen is a food source for naturally occurring microbes that consume hydrocarbons and expedite the remediation process.

Miracle Sorb MNE is our fastest acting remediation product. Like NE, it is enriched with nitrogen, but also with a strain of oleophilic, laboratory-developed microbes that consume hydrocarbons voraciously.

Typical Application. If level of contamination is known, use one part of Miracle Sorb for every two to four parts of hydrocarbon contamination (by weight). If unknown, mix into soil until the soil is dry to the touch.

Thoroughly mix Miracle Sorb into soil and let stand for 12 to 24 hours. Then thoroughly wet the treated area and maintain 50% moisture level throughout the remediation period. Natural vegetation should begin growing in 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the season and climate conditions.

Availability. Miracle Sorb is packaged in 30-lb bags and shipped on stretch-wrapped pallets of 50 or 60 bags.

System E.T. 20 is a proven biological system that significantly reduces petroleum hydrocarbons in soil or water. The system uses either naturally occurring or supplied bacteria, System E.T.20 nutrients, and a unique activation process custom-tailored to soil chemistry, contaminant volume, oil types, and oil concentrations. The unique nitrogen source is a non-water-soluble, oleophilic polymer that adheres to oil on contact to provide the following benefits:

Environmentally superior

• System E.T. 20’s non-water-soluble nitrogen polymer doesn't contribute to nitrification of ground water
• System E.T. 20 nutrients do not contain heavy metals
• Indigenous fungal populations necessary for normal biodegradation of plant material will not be damaged as it has found to be when using urea
• The low salt content of System E.T.20 will not corrode metallic equipment like that of other nitrogen sources

Highly efficient

• Rain or irrigation will not dissolve System E.T.20’s nitrogen thereby avoiding reapplication time and cost
• E.T.20’s oleophilic characteristic accelerates biodegradation by placing nitrogen, oil and bacteria in direct contact, maximizing the oil degradation process.
• E.T.20’s activation protocol limits nitrogen to bacteria developed with its nitrogen polymer.
• The activation protocol can grow bacteria that will target specific hydrocarbon types

Simple to use

• Can be applied with common construction equipment
• Uses indigenous bacteria whenever practical

Economical

• Less nitrogen, by a factor of 10, in the form of System E.T.20 is needed to degrade a given volume of oil, compared to water-soluble nitrogen systems such as urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and monammonium phosphate (MAP).
• A faster degradation process reduces equipment, labor, and project administration expenses.

System E.T. 20 Plus Denexol Booster for Optimum Results

Denexol is a proprietary, nonhazardous, non-carbon-based chemical with an elemental composition similar to that of soil (silica, magnesium, sodium, etc.) On contact with petroleum, Denexol immediately begins to break the carbon-to-carbon bond in the petroleum molecules to form simple fatty acid esterase molecules, which are then absorbed by microbes in the soil. The microbes further degrade the fatty acid esterase to carbon dioxide and water, completing the remediation cycle. The reactions are complete in seven days, leaving no toxic byproducts or chemical residue.

Synergistic reaction. Although Denexol can be used by itself, optimum remediation results are achieved by using Denexol in combination with System E.T. 20 nutrients and System E.T. 20 microbes. Because the combination is synergistic, less Denexol and less System E.T. 20 component are needed than if they were used individually. A single application of the combined products delivers the same remediation results as multiple applications of Denexol alone.

Simple application. Application is simple, even in harsh environments, including cold and wet conditions. Application rates depend on total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the soil, ambient temperature, and soil structure.

Contact ABASCO for more information.