Phytotechnology Project Profiles
Phytoremediation at the former tank farm and former dry cleaning facility in Alaska
Last Updated: January 2006 |
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| Site Information | ||
| Site Name, Location: | Former tank farm and former dry cleaning facility, Barrow, AK, United States | |
| Site Type: | Dry Cleaner | |
| Is this a Federal Superfund Site? |
No | |
| Is this a Federal or Military Site? |
Yes | |
| Entity Responsible for Cleanup: | Navy | |
Project Information |
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| Project Name: | Phytoremediation at the former tank farm and former dry cleaning facility in Alaska | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Site History and Background: | The facility was established in 1947 as a logistic supply center for petroleum exploration and was also used as a basic and applied research center, contributing to Navy operations in the Arctic. In 1987, The Navy signed a land-exchange agreement to transfer ownership of NARL to the Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (UIC), a Barrow native village corporation. The complex is currently operated by the UIC, houses a local college, and provides office space for various borough departments and contractors performing projects for the North Slope Borough. Waste source: From operations related to a former dry cleaning facility and former bulk tank fuel farm; bulk fuel tanks contained diesel fuel, gasoline, Mogas and JP-5 jet fuel. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scale: | Pilot/Field Demonstration | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Status: | Complete | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Start Date: | Summer 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Completion Date: | Not available | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media Treated: |
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| Contaminants Treated: |
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| Phytotechnology Mechanism(s): | Phytoremediation Rhizodegradation |
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| Plants and other Vegetation Used: | Clover Rye Grass Fescue |
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| Planting Description: | A seed mixture containing three species of cold-tolerant grasses (10-15% Annual Rye Grass, 60-70% Arctared Red Fescue, and 20-25% White Clover) was used. There was minimal soil preparation prior to seeding. Seeds were surface-applied using handheld seeders and then pressed into the soil. The maximum permissible (less than 2,000 mg nitrogen/kg of soil) quantity of standard agricultural fertilizer was added. Two control areas were prepared: one with only fertilizer but no seeds; and one with seeds but no fertilizer. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Climate: | The area is very cold and dry. Temperature ranges from -19F in February to 40F in July. The average annual precipitation is 4.6 inches. High relative humidity (90 to 95%) in the summer leads to foggy conditions about 25% of the time. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| O & M Requirements: | Site setup included initial site delineation; obtaining time-zero samples; collecting, compositing, preparing, and installing soil socks for later sampling; data-logger setup; and seeding and nutrient additions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performance Data: | Contaminant concentrations were reduced (quantitative results were not available). Significant plant growth was observed in fertilized areas, and long term cleanup goals are anticipated to be achieved only after continued remediation during future thaw periods. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of the Phytotechnology Project: | Capital cost - $7,250; O&M - $1,400/year; Other costs - $6,000/year (includes long-term monitoring, regulatory oversight, compliance testing/analysis, excavation, and disposal of residues); Total cost (based on 10,000 ft^2 treatment area, 2 ft treatment depth, and 10 year period of operation) - $27,250 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lessons Learned: | 1. Plants have a positive effect on petroleum depletion relative to either nutrients alone or control treatments. 2. The effect is not uniform across all petroleum fractions. 3. The effect is not seen by standard monitoring techniques. 4. Nutrients alone can have an inhibitory effect on depletion of some petroleum fractions. 5. There are measurable microbial changes that support, and probably drive, the contaminant changes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comments: | Lessons learned during field demonstrations are applicable to applications at a larger scale. Though implementation is relatively straightforward, unfortunately, so are ineffective or incorrect implementation steps. Consideration should be given to altering the monitoring strategy to fit the technology being used; such as timing the sampling event with respect to the status of the system rather than the calendar, selecting an appropriate variable to monitor, and determining how to sample with respect to the selected monitoring variable. The appropriate variable may vary with the degree of "completeness" of the remediation process. | Point(s) of Contact |
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C. M. (Mike) Reynolds Technical lead ERDC-CRREL 72 Lyme Road Hanover, NH United States Telephone: (603) 646-4394 Fax: (603) 646-4561 E-mail: charles.m.reynolds@erdc.usace.army.mil |
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| Information Source(s): | ESTCP Technology Demonstration Final Report: Field Demonstration of Rhizosphere-Enhanced Treatment of Organics-Contaminated Soils on Native American Lands with Application to Northern FUD Sites. Reynolds, C.M., ERDC-CRREL, Hanover, NH. Report No. ERDC/CRREL/LR-04-18, 97pp, June 2004 http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/techpub/CRREL_Reports/reports/LR-04-18.pdf Reynolds, C.M. 2004. ESTCP Technology Demonstration Final Report: Field Demonstration of Rhizosphere-Enhanced Treatment of Organics-Contaminated Soils on Native American Lands with Application to Northern FUD Sites. ERDC-CRREL, Hanover, NH. Report No ERDC/CRREL/LR-04-18, 97 p. Reported in Technology Innovation News Survey - February 16-28, 2005. http://www.clu-in.org/products/tins/ EPA. Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable. 2005. Technology Cost and Performance Report: Rhizosphere-Enhanced Bioremediation of Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant (POL)-Contaminated Soils at Three Sites in Alaska. http://costperformance.org/pdf/20050614_367.pdf EPA. Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable. 2005. Technology Cost and Performance Report Summary: Rhizosphere-Enhanced Bioremediation of Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant (POL)-Contaminated Soils at Three Sites in Alaska. http://costperformance.org/profile.cfm?ID=376 |
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