An Elm Dirt companyยทKansas City, MissouriCDFA Certified Organic
Elm Dirt, Together We GrowRemediation

Approach

Put the right biology to work, then measure it.

Bacteria and fungi break down many organic pollutants and bind others. Our job is getting that biology into the ground where it can work, then showing what it did with lab data.

A soil pit exposing distinct soil horizons, Jornada Experimental Range.
Soil horizons exposed in a pit at the Jornada Experimental Range, labeled by depth.Dr. H. Curtis Monger, CC BY-SA 3.0

How a project runs

Four steps, with a lab result at each end

The sampling at the start and the end is what makes the middle believable.

  1. 1

    Assess the site

    We go through the history, existing reports and lab data, soil type, drainage and the contaminants of concern. If biology is the wrong tool, say a hot spot that needs digging out, we tell you that first.

  2. 2

    Measure a baseline

    An independent laboratory measures the contaminants by standard methods, ideally with untreated comparison plots beside the treated ones. Composite samples from several cores give a fairer picture than one grab sample.

  3. 3

    Prepare and apply

    Where microbes need oxygen, the soil gets opened up first, and then it's treated with liquid biologicals, biochar and Ancient Soil compost from our Kansas City plant, working with local applicators.

  4. 4

    Monitor and report

    Follow-up samples go to the same lab, by the same methods, at set intervals. You get the results as they are, flat or unexpected ones included.

Field crew in safety vests operating a drill rig to collect a soil sample beside a brick building.
Drilling for a soil sample at a Superfund site. Photo: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The mechanism

Breakdown or binding

Microbial enzymes can take apart organic contaminants such as fuels and PAHs. Metals are elements, so microbes can only change their form or hold them in place. PFAS sits at the edge of what biology is known to do.

Diagram: Contaminant, microbial action, outcomeAn organic compound or a metal, held in soil water and on soil particles. Bacteria and fungi make enzymes that attack specific chemical bonds, or bind and transform metal ions. Breakdown: in the research. Organic compounds are taken apart into smaller molecules, then carbon dioxide, water and biomass. Binding: in the research. Metals and some persistent compounds are bound or precipitated, so less of them moves or is taken up.01 CONTAMINANT02 MICROBIAL ACTION03 OUTCOME ContaminantAn organic compound or a metal,held in soil water and on soilparticles.Microbial actionBacteria and fungi make enzymesthat attack specific chemicalbonds, or bind and transformmetal ions.CO2H2OIN THE RESEARCHBreakdownOrganic compounds aretaken apart into smallermolecules, then carbondioxide, water andbiomass.IN THE RESEARCHBindingMetals and somepersistent compounds arebound or precipitated, soless of them moves or istaken up.Diagram: Contaminant, microbial action, outcomeAn organic compound or a metal, held in soil water and on soil particles. Bacteria and fungi make enzymes that attack specific chemical bonds, or bind and transform metal ions. Breakdown: in the research. Organic compounds are taken apart into smaller molecules, then carbon dioxide, water and biomass. Binding: in the research. Metals and some persistent compounds are bound or precipitated, so less of them moves or is taken up.01 CONTAMINANTContaminantAn organic compound or a metal, heldin soil water and on soil particles.02 MICROBIAL ACTION Microbial actionBacteria and fungi make enzymes thatattack specific chemical bonds, orbind and transform metal ions.03 OUTCOMECO2H2OIN THE RESEARCHBreakdownOrganic compounds are takenapart into smaller molecules,then carbon dioxide, waterand biomass.IN THE RESEARCHBindingMetals and some persistentcompounds are bound orprecipitated, so less of themmoves or is taken up.
Fig. 1Biology can take two routes in contaminated soil, and which one applies depends on the contaminant. Rates depend on site conditions and are confirmed by lab testing over months.

Biology is slow, so we plan for it.

How fast microbes work in soil depends on conditions you can measure. Lighter fuels are usually among the first things to respond. Heavier PAHs take longer, and highly chlorinated compounds longer again.

So every project is built around repeat lab testing over months, often a year or more. A few weeks of data can't tell anyone whether a treatment is working.

Biology also sits comfortably alongside other methods. Excavation is often the right call for hot spots and hard deadlines. Where soil has been dug out and replaced, biology can help rebuild the living soil that clean fill lacks.

Planning a sampling round?

Bring us in before the baseline is taken, so treated and untreated areas can be compared from the first round.

Talk with us about your siteOr start with the white paper

Vik Chhabra

Business Development, Elm Dirt

Vik is the first call for agencies, consultants, landowners and applicators, and he brings in the science and manufacturing side when a site needs it.

It helps to send the site location, what happened there, and any lab reports or maps.