Bioventing is a method of treating soil and groundwater pollution that uses aeration to promote the growth of microorganisms that degrade contaminants. This method is used to remove volatile organic contaminants such as hydrocarbons and solvents.
The bioventing process involves forcing air into contaminated soil using aeration shafts, pipes or ducts. Oxygen-enriched air stimulates the growth of aerobic microorganisms that feed on organic contaminants. These microorganisms use the contaminants as a source of energy, breaking them down into non-toxic products such as carbon dioxide and water.
Bioventing is often combined with other pollution treatment methods, such as bioaugmentation (the addition of specific microorganisms to accelerate contaminant degradation) or vapour extraction (the extraction of solvent vapours from the soil for surface treatment).
Bioventing is an effective and relatively inexpensive method for treating soil and groundwater contaminated by volatile organic contaminants.
Venting and bioventing are often confused.
As part of an on-site or off-siteother treatment methods can be used, such as anaerobic biostimulation, composting, containment, thermal desorption, excavation, vacuum extraction, incineration, landfarming, chemical washing, chemical oxidation, phytomanagement, pyrolysis, chemical reduction, stabilization, stripping, biological treatment or granulometric sorting.