Remediation Solution
Remediation Approach
Technology
Media Treated
Industry
Contaminant Type
Contaminant of Concern
Location
A chemical production facility generated a highly odorous, stable emulsified oil-and-water waste stream containing hydrogen sulfide and multiple mercaptan compounds that volatilized rapidly through the conveyance system. The emulsion’s stability prevented oil-water separators from performing as designed, and the resulting odors generated significant community complaints.
The AOTech process was combined with an emulsion breaker to destabilize the oil-water matrix, reduce sulfur compounds, and restore separator efficiency. Treatment eliminated H₂S and reduced organic content to allow proper phase separation.
The combined AOTech and emulsion breaker approach delivered measurable improvements across multiple performance dimensions. Hydrogen sulfide was eliminated from the effluent stream, and mercaptan concentrations were reduced by greater than 90% — together addressing the primary drivers of community odor complaints. Equally significant, destabilizing the emulsion restored oil-water separator functionality, allowing the unit to perform as designed and remove substantial portions of the stream’s organic content, which had reached up to 5 wt/wt%. The outcome addressed both the immediate odor issue and the underlying process inefficiency that had compounded it — demonstrating AOTech’s value not just as an odor control measure, but as a process restoration tool in chemically complex waste streams.
Superfund ISTR Under Strict Air Emission Limits
Bioremediation for PFAS
High-Profile ISTR of Historic Chemical Disposal Impacts
