In-situ groundwater nitrification and de-nitrification remediation system

Abstract

A method of in-situ groundwater nitrification, by: extracting groundwater from the ground; adding oxygen to the extracted groundwater; adding nutrients to the extracted groundwater; and injecting the groundwater back into the ground, wherein the oxygen reacts with in-situ nitrifying bacteria to oxidize ammonia to nitrate, and wherein the nutrients encourage the nitrifying bacteria to grow and reproduce. A method of in-situ groundwater de-nitrification, by: extracting the groundwater from the ground; adding carbon to the extracted groundwater; adding nutrients to the extracted groundwater; and injecting the groundwater back into the ground, wherein the carbon reacts with in-situ de-nitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas, and wherein the nutrients encourage the de-nitrifying bacteria to grow and reproduce.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . A method of in-situ groundwater de-nitrification, comprising:
 extracting the groundwater from the ground;   adding carbon to the extracted groundwater;   adding nutrients to the extracted groundwater; and   injecting the groundwater back into the ground, wherein the carbon reacts with in-situ de-nitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas, and wherein the nutrients encourage the de-nitrifying bacteria to grow and reproduce.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon is added by adding at least one of acetic acid, sugar, sugar water, softdrink waste products, whey, yeast wastewater or any biodegradable carbon substrate. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the nutrients include phosphate. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the phosphate is phosphoric acid. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the phosphorus is added so that the groundwater has a concentration of 0.2 to 0.8 mg/L of phosphate. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the groundwater is extracted at a location that is downgradient or cross-gradient of the location where the groundwater is injected back into the ground. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon and nutrients are added to the ground water in an above ground structure. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 monitoring the effectiveness of the groundwater de-nitrification method by measuring carbon concentration of the groundwater.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 monitoring the effectiveness of the groundwater de-nitrification method by measuring nutrient concentration of the groundwater.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carbon and nutrients are added to the ground water in an injection well. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 monitoring the effectiveness of the groundwater de-nitrification method by measuring the nitrate concentration of the groundwater downgradient of an injection well.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 monitoring the effectiveness of the groundwater de-nitrification method by measuring at least one of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and orthophosphate concentration.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the monitoring is carried out in a monitoring well within a reaction cell. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the monitoring is carried out in an extraction well located downgradient of an injection well. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the monitoring is carried out in a monitoring well outside of a reaction cell. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 monitoring the effectiveness of the groundwater de-nitrification method by measuring at least one of pH, dissolved oxygen concentration and temperature.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the monitoring is carried out in a monitoring well within a reaction cell. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the monitoring is carried out in a extraction well located downgradient of an injection well. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the monitoring is carried out in a monitoring well outside of a reaction cell. 
   
   
       36 . A method of groundwater remediation, comprising:
 in-situ groundwater de-nitrification, by:
 extracting the groundwater from the ground; 
 adding carbon to the extracted groundwater; 
 adding nutrients to the extracted groundwater; and 
 injecting the groundwater back into the ground, wherein the carbon reacts with in-situ de-nitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas, and wherein the nutrients encourage the de-nitrifying bacteria to grow and reproduce; and 
   in-situ groundwater nitrification, by:
 extracting groundwater from the ground; 
 adding oxygen to the extracted groundwater; 
 adding nutrients to the extracted groundwater; and 
 injecting the groundwater back into the ground, wherein the oxygen reacts with in-situ nitrifying bacteria to oxidize ammonia to nitrate, and wherein the nutrients encourage the nitrifying bacteria to grow and reproduce, wherein the in-situ groundwater de-nitrification is performed down gradient of the in-situ groundwater nitrification. 
   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 measuring ammonia and nitrate concentrations both inside and outside of a reaction cell.