| dc.description.abstract | The Norwegian approach to contaminated soil management typically involves excavation and transportation of soil to a landfill or redistribution within a construction site if the soil is moderately contaminated. Bioremediation, an eco-friendly method, naturally degrades pollutants in soil. Bioremediation can be performed either by monitoring the activity of naturally occurring soil microorganisms or can be enhanced by supplementing essential elements such as electron acceptors, nutrients, and water.
This study assessed both in situ and ex situ bioremediation techniques and their potential effectiveness in the Norwegian climate, emphasizing hydrocarbon biodegradation. Eleven bioremediation techniques were assessed to determine their suitability. To determine whether bioremediation is currently employed in Norway, requests for data were sent to waste management facilities and research centers.
The findings of this study showed that several methods for bioremediation have been investigated in colder climates. Of the methods examined, several techniques have yielded effective degradation rates. In situ methods carry more uncertainties for consistent and rapid degradation. Ex situ methods can be controlled and adapted to cold climates and demand little effort to incorporate into the Norwegian model for handling contaminated soil.
Biopiles were deemed the most cost-effective and easily applicable method of the eleven techniques explored. A company employing biopiles for bioremediation was identified. However, the method was not optimized for recycling the sand silt. The inquiries in this study revealed a knowledge gap in incorporating bioremediation within the Norwegian soil management model. | |
