B i o  r e m e d i a t i o n    o f    S l u d g e

     
   Case studies

    

 
 
OFT is specialized to offer services for the treatment and degradation of all types of hydrocarbon sludges. Our expereience in successful treatment since more than 10 years has made us a class apart in sludge handling. Each case is typical with its own specialities, their sludge problems are solved by our teams in several parts of India and abroad.
Our method is known as Enhanced Bio Remediation Process. The contaminants in the sludge will be remediated and brought down to permissible limits. Thus the sludge after treatment will be converted to biomass useful as a manure.
 
Microbes for degradation?

We know that hydrocarbons are not a single chain but consist of multiple ringsand chain structures. There is no single micro-organism which can consume thewide variety of hydrocarbon contaminants in the soil. Thus, the labs are made toidentify specific strains of micro organisms which are then blended into a singlemedium to combat the soil contamination. This is not a fool proof method as a100% bio-remediation and mitigation rate is never achieved utilizing the externally induced micro-organism which are not native to a particular area. Further, the lab-grown cultures are not tolerant to hot and humid areas. Under tropicalconditions, it has been noted that most of the lab nurtured microbes do notsurvive. Many countries ban the entry of biological entities due to over bearingfear of disease etc.

The enhanced bio-remediation process is entirely different and the process does not use any lab grown or cultured micro-organisms. We recognize the fact that earth is full of microbes of every standard and form. Mother earth has innate ability to remediate the maladies created by the mankind, on its own. However, the natural remediation process is very long.

How our method of bio remediation works?

After years of study, research and observation, our research team has understood the natural remediation process and this knowledge helped us to device a system which utilizes the naturally occurring microbes native to a particular area to remediate the hydrocarbon, petro-chemical and other hazardous wastes.

The naturally occurring microbes secrete enzymes and these enzymes split the hydrocarbons into molecules. Thus, each individual molecule is encircled by a ring of enzymes secreted by the microbes and the isolated molecules then become the source of nutrition for the microbes. As more and more molecules are encapsulated, more and more food is available for microbes, which then consume the hydrocarbon molecules.

But for the remediation and consumption of hazardous material by microbes in large quantities, huge volumes of enzymes have to be secreted. And this process is time consuming. This is the reason why the natural remediation process takes years to initiate and decades to end.  As, we understand this natural enzymatic process, we began the use of a bioformulation, which is very close in resemblance to the natural secretion of the microbes. This water soluble bio-enzyme is diluted to the requisite concentration and sprayed over the contaminated soil or petroleum waste. The bio-enzymes thus sprayed splits the hydrocarbons or petro-chemical waste into molecules and the molecules are encircled and encapsulated by water bearing ring of the enzyme. Surrounding soils containing naturally occurring bacteria is sprinkled on the top of the contaminated soil to introduce native microbes into the remediation system. These microbes then feed on the isolated molecules and start to multiply rapidly. The microbes thus consume large volume of contaminants very quickly.

Since this process evolves hydrogen and oxygen is consumed at rapidly, it is essential that these ingredients are introduced to the soils on a daily basis. Water is the best source and the contaminate soil treated with enzyme has to be moistened on a daily basis. Within two weeks, radical change can be observed in the texture and color of the soil. A second treatment of bio-enzyme is then given after tilling the soil to expose the under lying layers of contaminated soil. Tilling also helps in the introduction of microbes to lower levels which will help to expose raw contaminants to the microbes. After the second spray, these contaminants are encapsulated and converted into a readily available food source to the microbes which then start consuming the hydrocarbons or hazardous contaminants immediately.

Depending upon the level of contamination two or more treatments are required to completely mitigate the hydrocarbons or the hazardous contaminants.Once the contaminants are totally consumed, the available food source diminishing, the microbes will die and their number will come back to original naturally balanced level. In this process, there is no net increase or decrease of naturally occurring microbe count. This process has been proven in numerous field applications containing various kinds of petroleum sludges and refineries waste.

We have given details from our past projects with photographs at the left. Please click the link to read the case study. Should you require any details, please do not hesitate to contat cus.