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PB served as environmental consultant for the installation of the SEREBAR system in Exeter, UK. |
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Six canisters arranged in heights to treat contaminated groundwater in series through gravity flow. |
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Digging Deep for a Solution
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In order to install the system, PB undertook a major investigation of the site to learn about the local geology and hydrogeology, which were used to develop models of soil, geological and biogeochemical parameters at the site. Laboratory studies determined the rate of contamination, and modeling was used to develop a funnel-and-gate concept to capture the contaminant plume.
The construction of the SEREBAR system is based on six canisters arranged in heights to treat the water in series through gravity flow. The system uses naturally occurring bacteria that colonize treatment chambers at the site in aerobic (with oxygen) and non-aerobic (without oxygen) conditions to treat the groundwater contamination. No pumping or surface treatment system is required, and free-phase liquids such as tar are collected and recycled. The entire underground system is equipped with telemetry and is fully monitored online, which allows for offsite retrieval of important data.
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