IESI & BCI develop bacterial culture to degrade industrial solvent

BOSTON, Sept. 24, 2004 -- Innovative Engineering Solutions Inc. (IESI) and Bioremediation Consulting Inc. (BCI) have developed a new, more cost effective, in-situ bioremediation technique for the destruction of 1,4-Dioxane, a widely distributed groundwater contaminant commonly used as a solvent stabilizer, especially with 1,1,1-Trichloroethane.

At an IESI project site in Salt Lake City, Utah, the IESI/BCI team cultured a propanotroph (SL-D), an organism that can utilize propane as a sole carbon source. Site analysis demonstrated that SL-D can aerobically degrade at least 10 mg/L of 1,4-Dioxane within hours of application. The IESI/BCI team is currently evaluating the extent to which microorganisms like SL-D are present at other project sites, and the extent to which the 1,4-Dioxane is utilized for growth by the organism.

SL-D is more reactive and cost-effective than other treatment techniques. Typically, 1,4-Dioxane does not respond well to traditional technologies such as carbon adsorption or air stripping. Even the most common treatment method for 1,4-Dioxane contaminated groundwater -- ex-situ treatment using UV-hydrogen peroxide oxidation -- is very costly.

The SL-D culture is currently available for potential bioaugmentation in full-scale applications. IESI/BCI have also developed techniques for the enrichment of native propanotrophs and engineered a safe and reliable dissolved propane subsurface delivery system.

About Innovative Engineering Solutions
Since 1995, IESI (www.iesionline.com), a leading provider of environmental consulting services for the remediation of contaminated properties, has been specializing in the design and implementation of bioremediation systems for chlorinated volatile organics (CVOCs). It's based in Boston and has offices in Denver, Dallas and Detroit.

About Bioremediation Consulting
Watertown, Mass.'s BCI, founded in 1991 by Doctors Margaret Findlay and Samuel Fogel, has been specializing in subsurface microbiology for over 20 years. As a full-service treatability laboratory, BCI specializes in the identification, isolation, cultivation and enhancement of microorganisms responsible for the degradation of chlorinated and recalcitrant compounds.

The IESI/BCI team has evaluated hundreds of sites, and is currently involved in over 30 full-scale enhanced anaerobic dechlorination and bioaugmentation projects utilizing injection of cultured bacteria (when needed) for the degradation of contaminants.

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