Remediation of Contaminated Environments
Remediation of contaminated environments includes clean-up of soils, sediments, water as well as buildings. The purpose is to enhance removal of recalcitrant contaminants, preferably in situ. Ways to improve biodegradation of contaminants have so far included advanced oxidation, soil vapor extraction and phytoremediation. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged as an important class of technologies for recalcitrant pollutants. AOPs involve the in situ generation of highly potent chemical oxidants such as the hydroxyl radical (OH+). In phytoremediation plants are used to enhance decontamination of soil and water.The methods have been tested at laboratory and field scales.
The treatment goals can be defined with the help of risk based assessment in order to minimize the risks associated with contaminated environments as well as to minimize the costs associated with treatment.
Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)
We focus mainly on two branches: in situ soil remediation and wastewater treatment. With more than 20 years of experience, this group studies the effect of chemical oxidation of organic micro pollutants in different media.
In the case of in situ soil remediation, our own experience has taught us that the treatment shows its fully effectiveness when combined with other pre or post treatments. For that, our main aim is to enhance the natural biodegradability of the contaminants in order to ensure a safe, sustainable soil remediation.
Concentration limits of contaminants and increase of waste production keeps the research of removal of micropollutants very active in the field. Several applications of AOPs in waste water tried to reach those more restrictive parameters, always as part of a combined treatment, where biological processes are also applied before or after the chemical oxidation step.
Researchers
Paula Cajal Marinosa
Marja Palmroth
Tuula Tuhkanen