BIO2REMEDIATION®: A self-sustainable tool for the treatment of shallow polluted basins.

BIO2REMEDIATION® is a patented technology jointly developed by Ca' Foscari University of Venice and SAPIO Industries. This technology aims to stimulate aerobic biodegradation of pollutants present into sediments; in particular, it involves forced oxygen supply to ensure the aerobic condition’s maintenance, to provide electronic acceptor versus endemic microbial communities required for biodegradation reactions and to create an adapt environment for the organic pollutant biodegradation. This is achieved through both sediments and overlying water column oxygenation through introduction of oxygen enriched water. BIO2REMEDIATION® was applied on the bottom of a shipyard dock called Arsenale Vecchio. It was a basin in Venice chosen for our experiment because of its limited size, shallow water and (nowadays) reduced boat traffic. The study aim was to first assess the status quo of the chosen area treated with BIO2REMEDIATION®, in order to make a comparison with data collected prior to, ongoing and after two years the treatment. It affected both directly the abiotic component, consisting of the sediment, and indirectly, the overlying water compartment, everyone comprehensive of organisms, of course. Results clearly showed that the sediment after treatment has undergone a substantial change: a) a substantial decrease in organic pollutant content (where PAHs have been chosen as pollutant markers); furthermore, b) the creation of an oxidized surficial layer which can act as a <<natural biocapping layer >> in respect of pollutants located in the lower (anoxic) part to step to the interface with the water. At the same time, this re-newed sediment can be a really helpfull substrate for biotic component re-engraftment. At a macroscopic analysis, in fact, it is again verified high biodiversity. In light of these considerations, it intends to conduct an audit of targeted requirements of self-sustainability of the ecosystem through qualification and quantification of the parameters below.