HOW IT WORKS

There are many types of soil and groundwater remediation strategies and technologies to choose from – dig-and-dump, to burn-it, and all in-between. Frankly, very few, if any, of these technologies are processes Mother Nature would choose in terms of sustainability, effectiveness, and/or efficiencies.
 
In terms of the remediation of contaminated soil the fastest, but not always most effective, the method is excavation/removal and off-site transportation of the contaminated soils. The theory being remove the source and hopefully, all the residual mass below and proximate to the edges. In terms of groundwater, pump & treat has ruled the roof for over 25 years; but over the last 10-years, biostimulation is proving more and more effective. Not because the bugs are ‘smarter,’ more likely it’s because we as humans have gotten better at characterizing site concerns and deploying potential solutions.

Environmental  biostimulation enhances the natural conditions of a site to allow the remediation of contaminated soil and/or groundwater to be treated on-site, in-place with minimal impacts and visuals such that, at times, no one will ever know. Traditional wisdom has bioremediation as a process which generally takes longer and one which will never achieve compliance versus old-school, man-knows-best, physical/chemical strategies. This is, as noted above, in part due to the variabilities in the subsurface, potential treatment zone(s), and aboveground access, all factors rendering bioremediation a strategy with less consistency and certainty. All viable concerns, mind you; however, the benefits and long-term performance of TerraStryke additives demonstrates biostimulation as the ‘new-age’ of bioremediation.
 
What we offer is an entirely new approach to remediating contaminated sites – a safe, sustainable, and cost-effective way, the way Nature intended.

HOW TERRASTRYKE WORKS 

Before jumping into a discussion about this ‘new-age’ and the benefits of using Terrastyke, you must first understand how we work. 
 
We believe there is much more to bioremediation than simply adding Oxygen, or other amendments, in the hopes to make microbes grow, multiply and in turn, utilize the organic molecules (contaminants) present. The general thinking being, the more ‘bugs,’ the more workers, and subsequently, the greater the rate of performance. But there is more to sustainable performance than simply increasing microbial populations, for as we realize an increase in beneficial microbials, we also may realize an increase in non-beneficial populations which in turn, can stall beneficial performance. TerraStryke’s biostimulation additives, with their patented composition of nutrients, carbohydrates, and/or carbon, allow for the establishment of environmental conditions within the subsurface that allows for superior microbial performance, and ultimately, maximum contaminant degradation the way nature intended. By enhancing their conditions, the consortium of bacteria present are able to build ‘safe-houses’, collectively evaluate their surroundings, take a census of who is around them, and depending on the environmental stress (organic contaminants) present, harmonize their behaviours to most effectively exploit the energy (stress) present. i.e. destroy contaminants collectively.

These structures, or biofilms, are established by healthy microbial communities within the subsurface, enveloping the impacted matrix itself, while providing protection from predation and harsh conditions at the same time. It is within these structures microbial populations can collectively identify and perform tasks as a community, not individuals, to provide, obtain and exploit energy by and for the community as a whole: the consortium, not just the individual.

Once established, biofilm-protected communities are able to ‘share’ environmental information and communicate with ‘pheromone-like’ chemical languages and share genetic material to effectively harmonize function to allow the group to perform tasks collectively; effectively achieving levels of performance as a group which, as individuals, would have never been realized.

USING OUR PRODUCTS

In terms of application, our products are delivered to each site dry for ease of storage and lowering of transportation costs. At the time of deployment simply blend with available on-site water for typical deployment as a 10-12% solution. By maintaining minimum viscosity to maximize fluidity allows for greater distribution within the subsurface treatment zone. As a result, injection nodes can be placed at greater distances, reducing overall site needs and costs and, where deployed capillary action allows for greater permeability in low-perm matrices.
 
With greater subsurface distribution capabilities comes greater ‘contact’ between additive and microbial groups and as a result, greater performance with less effort. 
 
Our products enhance anaerobic conditions at sites contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic solvents (cVOCs) and petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) to realize the greatest rates of contaminant destruction available, sustainably and cost-effectively utilizing four billion years of experience. We don’t trap, we don’t linger, we destroy.

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THE SCIENCE OF
TERRASTRYKE IN-SITU

TerraStryke’s biostimulation additives enhance nature’s anaerobic processes to leverage existing environmental conditions. We don’t waste energy trying to ‘change’ conditions; rather, we swim with the proverbial current maximizing the use of available energy. Stop paddling upstream.

The influx of contamination typically drives subsurface conditions, already deficient in nutrients, anaerobic by scavenging available respiratory sources (alternative electron acceptors). A TerraStryke remediation strategy keeps it that way, maintains the anaerobic, and by doing so falls-back on over four billion years of microbial experience to maximize the destruction of organic molecules safely, sustainably, and effectively.

Our clients are rewarded with maximum performance with cost and time savings, maximizing your remediation dollar with minimal site impacts. When you choose TerraStryke, you choose a holistic approach to remediation while putting dollars back in your pocket – now that’s something you can feel good about.

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