ABSTRACT

This chapter presents a real-world example or how microbes might help to clean contaminated environments. It describes how composting is being used to clean up soil at a military facility contaminated with explosives. The chapter discusses the approach and goals of a bench-scale test and a pilot-test and shows how in order to clean up soils contaminated with explosives; bioremediation techniques must create just the right mixture of added ingredients. Bioremediation is a relatively innovative method for dealing with environmental sites that are contaminated with hazardous materials. To enhance the biodegradation of explosives by composting, contaminated soil from the washout lagoons at Tooele Army Depot was mixed with manure, food waste, and bulking agents. The composting treatability study at Tooele Army Depot benefited from the results of bioremediation composting studies, which had established some basic characteristics of a successful soil composting recipe.