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INNOVOC
Published on 30 April 2019
Finland
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
INNOVOC is a novel in situ remediation method for treating contaminated groundwater and saturated soils. The technique is suitable for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like petroleum hydrocarbons. It is thought to be a cost-effective alternative for air sparging. The patent of the solution is currently pending. Thus, a detailed description of the solution will be announced later. Lab and pilot scale test with several different types of contaminant have been successfully completed, and currently field tests of in situ decontamination are under way. Initial results are very encouraging. The INNOVOC method is a novel rapidly functioning method that should be easy to get approval for. It is currently being used at an actual site with permission from environmental authorities as a experimental technology. If successful, it can be applied in a variety of situations, once the local conditions and the target contaminants have been found suitable for the treatment.
Resources needed
The solution is relatively inexpensive, easy to operate and does not require much HR. Detailed information about factors is announced later. The INNOVOC report will contain estimations on the costs per site, per m3 of contaminated groundwater etc. but these estimations depend on ongoing tests.
Evidence of success
Lab and pilot scale test with several different types of contaminant have been successfully completed, and currently field tests of in situ decontamination are under way. Initial results are very encouraging. The INNOVOC method is currently being used at an actual site with permission from environmental authorities as a experimental technology. If successful, it can be applied in a variety of situations.
Potential for learning or transfer
Potential for learning or transfer is high since the solution offers a standardised methodology for remediation done through INNOVOC technique but cases of demonstrating how well and in what conditions the INNOVOC method works are badly needed. Pilot testing is planned in INNOVOC. For the right type of compound contaminating the groundwater, the INNOVOC method is fast and efficient, but applicability at large scale sites is missing. If the technique works well also in larger scale it will work as an incentive to use this technique in situ at real remediation sites. When successfully used in larger scale INNOVOC can be used to raise awareness to new remediation techniques and their benefits.
Good practice owner
Organisation
University of Helsinki
Finland
Etelä-Suomi