Integrated soil process modelling to support the management and bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in cold climates

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Bioremediation technology for petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in cold climates has beenextensively explored. Numerous ex-situ bioremediation studies have suggested that biostimulation usingwater-soluble nutrient supplies and/or aeration can enhance the biodegradation activity of indigenouscold-adapted, hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. This has become a common practice at northern sites. However,the success of ex-situ bioremediation at cold sites largely relies on seasonal soil thermal regimes, particularly interms of unfrozen water availability in contaminated soils. Understanding soil parameters and their effect onsoil phase changes is crucial for planning, designing, and managing the remediation of contaminated soils incold climates. Spatio-temporal changes in soil temperatures and unfrozen water content during seasonal soilfreeze/thaw are predictable using numerical soil modelling tools for uncontaminated soils. However, numericaltools in the literature have not been extensively validated for petroleum-contaminated soils, especially duringbioremediation. SoilVision Systems is a leading engineering software developer that provides soil thermalmodelling and other modelling software for engineering applications. Dr. Chang's recent numerical simulationstudy has highlighted the potential to advance soil thermal models for bioremediation inpetroleum-contaminated soils. The overarching goal of the proposed research, Integrated Soil ProcessModelling to Support the Management and Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils inCold Climates, is therefore to develop new integrated knowledge-based numerical modelling tools to supportbioremediation planning and management for petroleum-contaminated soils in cold climates. SoilVision'sthermal model will be validated using existing laboratory and field bioremediation data from a cold site, andintegrated with microbial respiration modelling specialized for seasonally freezing and thawing contaminatedsoils during bioremediation. This novel approach will advance the planning, design, and management ofremediation for petroleum-contaminated soils in remote cold regions.