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MANCHESTER AND PETERBOROUGH, N.H., AND NORWOOD, MASS. — GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc., an environmental and geotechnical consulting firm, recently completed a successful groundwater remediation project at a Petersborough, N.H., service station using a proprietary bioremediation formula developed by the company.

A release from a leaking underground gasoline storage tank system at the service station had caused the groundwater to be contaminated with fuel hydrocarbons. The new, innovative “green” technology was able to reduce a significant amount of the contamination to the groundwater.

GZA’s work scope included: hydrogeologic site investigation, remedial options evaluation and design, and a remedial pilot study of the patent-pending technology. During the course of a seven-week pilot test, and subsequent follow-up ten months later, this proprietary additive was proven to have destroyed a bulk of the contamination and increased the pH and, as a result, the microbial metabolism and groundwater quality. This project demonstrates the success of “green” remediation and its resulting low carbon footprint by transforming petroleum constituents in place to harmless byproducts without the need and cost of excavation and disposal, or the long-term use of power consuming and carbon dioxide emitting engines.

According to Richard Schaffner, Jr., senior technical specialist and hydrogeologist, who provided technical support on this project: “Due to the complexity of working with the subsurface to enhance biological degradation of the source, and the desire to maintain active operation of the fuel distribution center during remediation, GZA recommended enhanced biodegradation using a proprietary additive developed by GZA in partnership with Plant Products Co. Ltd, a remedial additive supplier. This additive utilizes well-established biogeochemical processes to destroy petroleum constituents.”

Don Kirkland, the GZA project manager for this site, said, “The additive is a sustainable and ‘green’ remedial option for petroleum-impacted sites, with the end products generally being water, carbon dioxide, innocuous gas, and microbial biomass.”

For more information, visit www.gza.com.