In-situ treatment of waste stacks, soils or earth materials to immobilize metals contained therein

摘要

A process for in situ immobilization of metals in waste stack affected zones including a waste stack and any adjacent boundary zone. One form of the process includes: (a) forming at least one treatment passageway which extends within the waste stack affected zone; (b) injecting a treatment liquid into the treatment passageway; said treatment liquid including at least one microbe nutrient which is capable of sustaining activity of the at least one microbe; (c) providing at least one microbe in sufficient proximity to the treatment passageway to receive treatment liquid therefrom; said at least one microbe being capable of growing in the presence of said treatment liquid; said at least one microbe also being capable of producing microbial sulfides which are sulfide by-products of microbial activity in the waste stack affected zone; (d) reacting the microbial sulfides in situ with metal ions or metal-containing compounds contained in said waste stack affected zone to form metal sulfides; (e) reducing solubility of the metal ions or metal-containing compounds contained in the waste stack affected zone as a result of forming the metal sulfides; and (f) inhibiting the migration rate of metal ions or metal-containing compounds within or from the waste stack affected zone.