MODELING OF SOIL VAPOR EXTRACTION (SVE) SYSTEMS .2. BIODEGRADATION ASPECTS OF SOIL VAPOR EXTRACTION

The biodegradation aspects of a previously presented model were examin ed with regard to the effect of vacuum and of uncertainty in the Monod reaction-rate constant on the bioreaction contribution. Data from the literature of Monod parameters were applied to the simulator to exami ne whether claims in the literature, of very significant biodegradatio n oi non-halogenated aliphatics and aromatics bg bioventing, were real istic. Generally, the conservative claim of 15% remediation by aerobic biodegradation was found to be realistic. Circumstances where the inc rease in vacuum had no positive effect on remediation time nor on reme diation cost were presented. Predicting biological phenomena in nature is extremely difficult due to the influence of many variables and the impact of their interdependence on parametric sensitivity.