Hazardous Waste/
Bioremediation
AP Environmental Science
Hazardous Waste Defined

Hazardous waste is a
waste with properties
that make it dangerous
or potentially harmful
to human health or the
environment.
Forms of Hazardous Waste
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Liquids
Solids
Contained gases
Sludges.

The EPA has a list of
more than 500 specific
hazardous wastes
Characteristics of Hazardous

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Contains one or more of 39 carcinogenic, mutagenic,
or teratogenic compounds at levels that exceed
established limits
Ignitability – Create fires under certain conditions,
are spontaneously combustible, or have a flash point
less than 60 °C (140 °F). waste oils and used
solvents.
Corrosivity – Acids or bases (pH less than or equal
to 2, or greater than or equal to 12.5) capable of
corroding metal containers. Battery acid is an
example.
Continued
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Reactivity – Unstable under "normal"
conditions, can cause explosions, toxic fumes,
gases, or vapors when heated, compressed, or
mixed with water. lithium-sulfur batteries and
explosives.
Toxicity – Harmful or fatal when ingested or
absorbed, this is the issue with leachate
Hazardous Landfill Construction
Hazardous Waste is Listed

The F-list (non-specific source wastes). This list
identifies wastes from common manufacturing and
industrial processes, such as solvents that have been
used in cleaning or degreasing operations. F-listed
wastes are known as wastes from non-specific
sources.

The K-list (source-specific wastes). This list
includes certain wastes from specific industries, such
as petroleum refining or pesticide manufacturing.
Certain sludges and wastewaters from treatment and
production processes in these industries are
examples of source-specific wastes.
Listed

The P-list and the U-list (discarded
commercial chemical products). These lists
include specific commercial chemical
products in an unused form. Some pesticides
and some pharmaceutical products become
hazardous waste when discarded.
Bioremediation
When we have to pull in the little guys to help
2011
Bioremediation

the use of microbes to
enhance the
elimination of toxic
compounds in the
environment.
Strategies for bioremediation

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Using native
(indigenous) microbes
Improving microbes
living conditions
Adding selected
microbes
Indigenous Microbes

There are many naturally occurring microbes
that occur in the environment that will
decompose (eat) small amounts of toxin over
long periods of time.

This works at a very, very slow rate
Improving living condition

People can add water
and oxygen to the
environment to speed
up the growth rate of
the microbes. Also by
adding additional
chemical such as
fertilizers.
Adding more and different
microbes

Adding additional nonnative microbes can
help degrade the toxins

Oil Spills
What microbes to use

Toxins come in 2 categories

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Organic
Inorganic
The type of toxin determines how and what
microbes can be used
Top 10 contaminants

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Lead
Trichloroethylene
Toulene
Benzene
PCB’s
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Chloroform
Phenol
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Anarerobic tolulene degrader
Azoarcus tolulyticus
(dividing in photo)
•
Found in a gasoline contaminated aquifer
•
Tolulene is one of the most toxic
components of gasoline
•
Important find because it is anaerobic and
can work in an underground environment.

Biodegradation
Using living
organisms to
breakdown organic
compounds
2,4-D=Weed B Gone--Herbicides
Oil
PCB”s—insulator coolants in electric power plant transformers
DDT—pesticide
Plastic
Detergents

2,4-D
RoundUp,glyphosphate

Three main
microbes
Alclegenes
eutrohus
Most widely used herbicide in the US. Between
54-60 million pounds annually
Can be degraded in 2 weeks in agricultural soils

Burkholderia
cepia

Halomonas
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Inorganic Waste
Mercury—in batteries
Nitrite—fertilizer runoff
Selenium, Arsenic
Uranium
Acid mine drainage

Inorganic wastes
contain no
Carbon, include
heave metals
Although found in
nature humans are
responsible for
accumulating
them into
abnormally found
amounts
Bacterial communities

Communities of
bacteria can handle
even nuclear waste
Highly contaminated
waste sites have found
bacteria eating the
uranium and breaking it
down to less water
soluble compounds
Acid mine drainage

Using microbial
communities to
clean the heavy
metals
Hazardous waste are creating new
fields of study
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Microbial technology
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Limiting factors for critical processes & significant
organisms
Identification of key biotic interaction
Structure and function of food webs
Environmental biotechnology
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Cleaning effluents of treatment waste
Alternative and ecofriendly processes
Alternative and ecofriendly products