Terry Clyde Hazen

US Patent:

53840488, Jan 24, 1995

Filed:

Mar 8, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/207506

Inventors:

Terry C. Hazen - Augusta GA
Carl B. Fliermans - Augusta GA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

International Classification:

C02F 330

US Classification:

210605

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for in situ remediation of contaminated subsurface soil or groundwater contaminated by chlorinated hydrocarbons. A nutrient fluid is selected to stimulate the growth and reproduction of indigenous subsurface microorganisms that are capable of degrading the contaminants; an oxygenated fluid is selected to create a generally aerobic environment for these microorganisms to degrade the contaminants, leaving only pockets that are anaerobic. The nutrient fluid is injected periodically while the oxygenated fluid is injected continuously and both are extracted so that both are drawn across the plume. The nutrient fluid stimulates microbial colony growth; withholding it periodicially forces the larger, healthy colony of microbes to degrade the contaminants. Treatment is continued until the subsurface concentration of contaminants is reduced to an acceptable, preselected level. The nutrient fluid can be methane and the oxygenated fluid air for stimulating production of methanotrophs to break down chlorohydrocarbons, especially trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene.

US Patent:

57531099, May 19, 1998

Filed:

Dec 28, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/579910

Inventors:

Brian B. Looney - Aiken SC
Susan M. Pfiffner - Knoxville TN
Tommy J. Phelps - Knoxville TN
Kenneth H. Lombard - Augusta GA
Terry C. Hazen - Augusta GA
James W. Borthen - Seattle WA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

International Classification:

C02F 334
E21B 4322

US Classification:

210149

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for supplying a vapor-phase nutrient to contaminated soil for in situ bioremediation. The apparatus includes a housing adapted for containing a quantity of the liquid nutrient, a conduit in communication with the interior of the housing, means for causing a gas to flow through the conduit, and means for contacting the gas with the liquid so that a portion thereof evaporates and mixes with the gas. The mixture of gas and nutrient vapor is delivered to the contaminated site via a system of injection and extraction wells configured to the site and provides for the use of a passive delivery system. The mixture has a partial pressure of vaporized nutrient that is no greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. If desired, the nutrient and/or the gas may be heated to increase the vapor pressure and the nutrient concentration of the mixture. Preferably, the nutrient is a volatile, substantially nontoxic and nonflammable organic phosphate that is a liquid at environmental temperatures, such as triethyl phosphate or tributyl phosphate.

US Patent:

54805490, Jan 2, 1996

Filed:

Jan 25, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/186065

Inventors:

Brian B. Looney - Aiken SC
Kenneth H. Lombard - Augusta GA
Terry C. Hazen - Augusta GA
Susan M. Pfiffner - Knoxville TN
Tommy J. Phelps - Knoxville TN
James W. Borthen - Seattle WA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

International Classification:

C02F 334

US Classification:

210610

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for supplying a vapor-phase nutrient to contaminated soil for in situ bioremediation. The apparatus includes a housing adapted for containing a quantity of the liquid nutrient, a conduit in fluid communication with the interior of the housing, means for causing a gas to flow through the conduit, and means for contacting the gas with the liquid so that a portion thereof evaporates and mixes with the gas. The mixture of gas and nutrient vapor is delivered to the contaminated site via a system of injection and extraction wells configured to the site. The mixture has a partial pressure of vaporized nutrient that is no greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. If desired, the nutrient and/or the gas may be heated to increase the vapor pressure and the nutrient concentration of the mixture. Preferably, the nutrient is a volatile, substantially nontoxic and nonflammable organic phosphate that is a liquid at environmental temperatures, such as triethyl phosphate or tributyl phosphate.

US Patent:

53246616, Jun 28, 1994

Filed:

Mar 4, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/663517

Inventors:

Terry C. Hazen - Augusta GA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

International Classification:

C12Q 104
C12Q 100
C12R 101

US Classification:

435262

Abstract:

A method for identifying soil microbial strains which may be bacterial degraders of pollutants comprising the steps of placing a concentration of a pollutant in a substantially closed container, placing the container in a sample of soil for a period of time ranging from one minute to several hours, retrieving the container, collecting the contents of the container, and microscopically determining the identity of the bacteria present. Different concentrations of the pollutant can be used to determine which bacteria respond to each concentration. The method can be used for characterizing a polluted site or for looking for naturally occurring biological degraders of the pollutant. Then bacteria identified as degraders of the pollutant and as chemotactically attracted to the pollutant are used to inoculate contaminated soil. To enhance the effect of the bacteria on the pollutant, nutrients are cyclicly provided to the bacteria then withheld to alternately build up the size of the bacterial colony or community and then allow it to degrade the pollutant.

US Patent:

53267036, Jul 5, 1994

Filed:

Jun 10, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/896762

Inventors:

Terry C. Hazen - Augusta GA
Geralyne Lopez-De-Victoria - Irmo SC

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

International Classification:

C12N 138
C12N 130
C12N 112

US Classification:

4352625

Abstract:

A method and system for enhancing the motility of microorganisms by placing an effective amount of chlorinated hydrocarbons, preferably chlorinated alkenes, and most preferably trichloroethylene in spaced relation to the microbes so that the surprisingly strong, monomodal, chemotactic response of the chlorinated hydrocarbon on subsurface microbes can draw the microbes away from or towards and into a substance, as desired. In remediation of groundwater pollution, for example, TCE can be injected into the plume to increase the population of microbes at the plume whereby the plume can be more quickly degraded. A TCE-degrading microbe, such as Welchia alkenophilia, can be used to degrade the TCE following the degradation of the original pollutant.