Developing Novel Approaches for Mapping and Destroying Industrial Pollutants in Soil

在加拿大和整个工业化世界，危险工业化学品对土壤和地下水的污染仍然是一个严重问题。重油和氯化溶剂因其普遍性、毒性和耐降解性而被列为最优先考虑的污染物。它们通过工业事故(例如深水地平线)、管道和地下储罐的缓慢泄漏以及世界各地石油生产和炼油设施中无法使用的淤泥的积累进入环境。一旦进入环境，它们就会保留数十年至数百年，污染空气、土壤和地下水。目前对溶剂应用的补救方法很少成功，而且对于重油来说，也不存在(目前被业界称为‘无望’废物)。

Contamination of soil and groundwater by hazardous industrial chemicals remains a serious problem in Canada and throughout the industrialized world. Heavy oils and chlorinated solvents are among the highest priority pollutants due to their prevalence, toxicity, and resistance to degradation. They enter the environment through industrial accidents (e.g., Deepwater Horizon), slow leaks from pipes and underground tanks, and the accumulation of unusable sludge at oil production and refinery facilities worldwide. Once in the environment, they remain for decades to centuries, polluting air, soil, and groundwater. Currently applied remediation approaches for solvents are rarely successful and, for heavy oils, do not exist (currently referred to by industry as 'no hope' wastes).